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Open House and Logo Release Party
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| | Emiko Oonk, Sindy Fleming, Ezra Garcia 19', and Bruce King |
The Center for Multicultural and International Engagement (CMIE) held an Open House and Logo Release Party on December 10, 2015. Faculty, staff, and students were welcomed to CMIE. Bruce King, Assistant to the President for Institutional Diversity, announced our name change, as well as a goals for CMIE to further engage with the community. Sindy Fleming, Director and Emiko Oonk, Assistant Director shared an update on CMIE as well as new objectives to enhance our involvement with students, faculty and staff.
CMIE held a contest to help design the Center's new logo. One of the criteria was for the logo to reflect the Center's mission and objectives. We had 11 students enter the contest. We had amazing entries, but unfortunately we could only select one. The logo selected to represent the Center for Multicultural and International Engagement was designed by Ezra Garcia '19. When asked about the logo design and meaning Garcia stated, "With amplified brush strokes, I hoped to convey the unfeigned and humane intercultural atmosphere here at St. Olaf."
The Center for Multicultural and International Engagement is excited about the success of the release party and our continued engagement with the community to increase intercultural awareness, experiences, and opportunities.
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The Fire This Time: A Teach-in in Response to Racial Incidents at Mizzou
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| | Teach-in on racial issues on college and university campuses |
On November 19, 2015, a teach-in was co-sponsored by Race and Ethnic Studies, Africa and the Americas, President's Office for Institutional Diversity, the Institute for Freedom and Community, and Center for Multicultural and International Engagement. The teach-in was held in response to the racial incidents in Mizzou. The teach-in sought to initiate conversation at St. Olaf by providing critical framework for understanding race and higher education. The teach-in was the first of a two part program that included a faculty-focused pedagogy workshop in early December.
The students sat around the round-tables to help initiate conversation, which was essential to better understand each others' perspectives on the matter. To lay the foundation for discussion, Associate Professor of English, Jennifer Kwon Dobbs took the students through a timeline of racial incidents at Mizzou, Howard, Yale and Claremont McKenna. Bruce King, Assistant to the President for Institutional Diversity added to the foundation by speaking about the history and structure of colleges and universities; and how diversity has impacted campuses across the nation. After the timeline presentation of racial incidents and King's comments, the Sustained Dialogue moderators helped facilitate small group discussion at each table. But before the discussion began Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Nordstrom-Loeb provided the students with a list of Critical Race terms to use while having the discussion. For half an hour the room was abuzz with discussions about race in higher education, inclusivity and diversity.
Following the small group discussion students shared their thoughts and opinions with the larger group. They posed questions to each other and voiced their concerns about the racial climate at universities and colleges in the United States. The teach-in served as a platform for students to talk about issues of race, identify ways one can take individual action on campus to help make a difference; and what colleges and universities can do to better support their students and change the racial climate.
Co-supported by CCC, CSA!, CUBE, DCC, HCO Karibu, KCA ISO, Presente!, Talking Circle, Team Tibet, and VOICE.)
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Let's Talk About It: Promoting Awareness on the Effects of Mental Health
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| | Attendees captured sharing their hopes and fears |
On December 9, 2015 CMIE's Program Assistants held a Mental Health Awareness event titled, "Let's Talk About It: Promoting Awareness on the Effects of Mental Health" The purpose of the event was to inform St. Olaf students about mental health issues and their relation to the community; as well as promoting the resources that are available on and off- campus. The event began with an icebreaker that helped participants get to know one another. Proceeding was an interactive presentation about mental health in the U.S. During the presentation, students had the chance to share their personal experiences and discuss their perceptions on mental health issues.
The participants then engaged in an activity where they shared their hopes and fears in regards to mental health. The event concluded with a brief note from Pastor Fick and Pastor Marohl on the resources available at the College Ministry office in addition to the resources mentioned during the presentation.
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Cultural Conversations - Microaggressions: When and Why do They Matter?
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| | Students and Professor Veltri a midst conversation |
On November 18 the Center for Multicultural and International Engagement (CMIE) hosted a Cultural Conversation, titled "Microaggressions: When and Why do They Matter?". This conversation was facilitated by Carlo Veltri, Assistant Professor of Psychology. Professor Veltri discussed about racism today and presented a power-point that included the definition of microaggressions; he explained microaggressions that occur at St. Olaf, and an overview of theoretical framework for understanding microaggressions. Professor Veltri began his presentation by stating how racism still occurs today. That old fashioned racism is less common today and under disguise racism is what most marginalized people experience today. He gave a few examples that described under disguise racism like, a snoopy picture where the only black kid in the picture was sitting on the other side of the dinner table, alone, and appeared to be lower than the other white kids that were on the other side.
Professor Veltri defined microaggressions as everyday verbal or nonverbal insults, intentional or unintentional that communicate hostile derogatory negative messages to people based solely upon their marginalized group. He gave examples of microaggressions that occur at St. Olaf college when people make comments such as, "it must be nice to go to college for free"or "oh, so you're a terrorist", to minorities or people of color. Veltri also explained in detail the different categories of microaggressions, such as micro assaults, micro insults, micro invalidation. He then discusses about the psychological dilemmas that people go through when dealing with microaggressions. For instance, the person who experiences a micro aggression incident first decides if t was a racial aggression or not. The person will ask themselves why did this happen if it'll happen again. This can have a negative emotional toll. Next, the affected person has to respond to the incident by either talking to other people of color or minorities or getting verification from them that they in fact did experience a microaggression. The person who experienced the microaggression can then have feelings of hopelessness, feeling visible, or undervalued, and perhaps that they cannot be authentic.
During discussion, a lot of students shared some stories where they felt like they experienced microaggressions. Students talked about how minorities or people of color are always faced with a catch 22 response. It is often challenging to express feelings about microaggression or racist incidents without having to fear the chance of being dismissed or told that "you're using the race card". While there was no actual answer of how to respond to microaggressions the group came up with a couple of ideas. One, it is important to understand the psychological dilemmas and domains of operation which can help normalize what can be a difficult experience (Veltri). Lastly, a student mentioned how she questions racially charged statements in order to get the other person making the statement thinking.
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 Africa Week |
 Hmong New Year |
 Diwali |
 Bowling Night - International Student Counselor Event |
 Native American Week |
 Update on CUBe |
 Prensete's Angel Tree Project |
Awarded Scholarships
Ronald E. Hunter Endowed Scholarship
Martin Luther King Scholarship
Class of 1987 Scholarship
Class of 1990 Scholarship
Hartwig Scholarship
Hoeft Scholarship
Class of 1960 Scholarship
Patten Endowed Scholarship
Katherine Olson Schol
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 | If you would like to contribute to the Fund please "click" the button above.
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Upcoming Events
- Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
- Poetry Workshop - January 15, 4:00-5:00PM, Rolvaag Memorial Library 515
- Guest Speaker: Terrell L. Strayhorn, Ph.D. - January 18, 3:30-5:00PM, Sun and Gold Ballrooms
- Reception and Contest - January 18, 3:30PM, Sun and Gold Ballrooms
- Film Screening: Precious Knowledge, Saturday, January 23, 1:30PM, Viking Theater
- Black History Month - February
- Lunar New Year - February 27
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