MSU Reveals Design for Multicultural Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/16/23

Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, recently released the design concept for its new Multicultural Center, according to a press release. The 34,000-square-foot facility will be located in the middle of campus and be the first independent building of its kind on campus. The university partnered with SmithGroup for its design, and groundbreaking is expected to take place this spring.

Features are set to include office space for the Council of Racial and Ethnic Students and the Council of Progressive Students; the Dreamer Center, which supports undocumented students; collaboration spaces, an art gallery wall; a resource center; and an outdoor amphitheater facing the nearby Red Cedar River.

“The new MSU Multicultural Center will be a sanctuary for all minorities and provides opportunities to celebrate and acknowledge our collective histories,” said SmithGroup Design Principal Monteil Crawley. “It empowers people to learn about who we are today and allows others to overcome their fear of what they don’t understand or haven’t experienced. The center aims to educate all on the richness of multiculturalism.”

The Michigan State University Board of Trustees authorized the university to move forward with construction plans during its February 2023 meeting. The press release notes that the new facility aligns with MSU’s DEI Strategic Plan and bolsters efforts to increase diversity on campus. Students and community stakeholders were given the chance to provide input and feedback on the building and its design during multiple community engagement sessions with SmithGroup.

“For students to succeed beyond the walls of an institution, it is essential to build a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Tricia Beck, Vice President and Higher Education Studio Leader with the Detroit office of SmithGroup. “Michigan State University’s new multicultural center strives to create a welcoming environment that encourages the acceptance and expression of all genders, races, religions, abilities, and cultures.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • All Surfaces Announces New Director of Commercial Business Development

    Surface solutions provider All Surfaces recently announced that it has hired a new Director of Commercial Business Development in Torie Bonafede. Bonafede will work to build the company’s market presence in various categories and drive strategic initiatives to expand its commercial sales portfolio.

  • KI Joins Education Design Research Consortium as Founding Sponsor

    Furniture solutions manufacturer KI recently announced alongside the Center for Advanced Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE) that it will become a founding sponsor for the Coalition for the Advanced Understanding of School Environments (CAUSE). A news release reports that the coalition’s research will focus on the relationship between K–12 physical environments and educational outcomes.

  • DLR Group Appoints New Senior Design Researcher

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has appointed Dr. Kati Peditto, Ph.D., EDAC, as the new senior design researcher for its research team, according to a news release. Peditto is a design psychologist who specializes in inclusive design and neurodiversity, joining the firm’s office in Denver, Colo.

  • Adelphi University Launches $100M Fundraising Campaign

    Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., recently launched The Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact, a $100-million fundraising initiative, at a gala on campus, according to a news release. The campaign is set to last through 2027 and fund six strategic priorities to improve success on campus.

Digital Edition