By LEAH WANKUM
For the Muleskinner

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — It doesn’t have an official name yet, but a new multicultural center is the university’s next step toward diversity and inclusivity. Located on the third floor on the north side of the Elliott Student Union, the center is under construction and is expected to open sometime mid-fall.

Tara Napoleone, UCM’s Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Success coordinator, said the purpose of the student-focused center is to change the campus culture to be more inclusive and supportive of minority groups.

“The end goal would be to change the culture as far as more diversity across campus, more groups involved, equal access for everybody,” Napoleone said. “We want to diversify staff and faculty as well… It’s so multifaceted that I don’t want it to be pinpointed on one specific thing.”

Napoleone said the center will cater to multicultural student organizations and provide spaces for storage, offices and meetings, as well as features for programming and education that focus on diverse concepts.

For more information about the multicultural center, contact the UCM Office of Mentoring, Advocacy and Peer Support at 660-543-4156 and ask for Tara Napoleone, IDEAS coordinator.