By Jeff Murphy,
February 1, 2017
WARRENSBURG, MO – University of Central Missouri faculty, staff, students and interested
members of the Warrensburg community are invited to attend the grand opening of UCM’s
Center for Multiculturalism and Inclusivity (CMI) Tuesday, Feb. 14 . The event takes
place from 1-3 p.m. and begins with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the CMI, located
on the third floor of the Elliott Student Union.
Festivities include refreshments, as well as remarks by Tara Napoleone-Clifford, inclusivity,
diversity, equity, advocacy and success (IDEAS) coordinator, and three UCM students,
Preston Billingsley, Armeisha Vance, and Ibrahim Alageel. Music will be provided by
soloist Reginald Meade, who is a UCM student, and the student group, Anointed By Christ
Gospel Choir.
Beginning its operations during the fall 2016 semester, the CMI is related to the
university’s mission and core values, which include a commitment to attracting and
supporting a diverse student body. It is situated in renovated space near the English
Language Center, and has been developed by the Office of Mentoring, Advocacy and Peer
Support (MAPS).
Student focused, CMI’s features include two classrooms which may be reserved by university
organizations, organizational storage space, an office with four cubicles, high-definition
televisions, Wi-Fi access, and tables, which can be used by students during meetings
in the office or simply to relax and visit with friends.
In approving the name for the facility in August 2016, documents by UCM’s Board of
Governors described the center as a campus unit “that leads and supports the development
and facilitation of positive and proactive initiatives that increase access, opportunity
equity, diversity, and inclusivity in all aspects of university life. Inherent in
this charge is the intent to develop an awareness of social, political, cultural,
and ethical issues in the belief that this awareness will lead to concern for, participation
in, and improvement to society.”
The CMI works with underrepresented students and organizations across campus. It welcomes
people of all backgrounds, identities and perspectives as the university strives to
create an atmosphere in which all people feel welcome and secure. For more information
about CMI or the grand opening, contact Napoleone-Clifford at napoleone@ucmo.edu or
660-543-4156, or Alesha Bowman, multicultural outreach specialist at the CMI, at abowman@ucmo.edu
or 660-543-8049.
