The culture houses and organizations on campus are a great opportunity for students to build connections with others and broaden their perspectives. They are an immersive way to enrich the college experience and should be something that everyone experiences at least once.

There are three cultural houses on campus, including the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American House, the Black Culture House and Casa Latina which are all overseen by The Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity (OSID). Students can use them as a meeting space, to program for student organizations or to spend time with friends. They are open Monday through Thursday from 5-9 p.m. and located on the upper campus.

There is also the You Belong Here Lounge on the fourth floor of Gerber, which students can use to host events, study or socialize. The purpose of this space is to promote collaboration, inclusion and involvement.

In addition to the physical spaces the culture houses have, there are also several multicultural student organizations that focus on providing “support, resources, mentorship and advocacy” for students. They hope to give students an environment where they can connect with others who share similar cultural experiences and perspectives.

Both the culture houses and the multicultural organizations foster an environment that makes students feel like they belong and have a community on campus. They allow students to socialize, and more importantly, learn from each other and the different lived experiences each person has.

Being involved in these student-led organizations can also be a great opportunity for students to develop their leadership and interpersonal skills because they’re in charge of organizing the events and interacting with a variety of different people.

The culture houses and multicultural organizations are an important way to promote diversity around campus and a place that students of color can turn to to find support from other people who might understand their perspectives. Finding a community is extremely important for a person’s well-being, and being involved in something that encourages its participants to engage with others can be a great way to find your place on campus.

Multicultural organizations and houses are a good way to find a community and build leadership skills, but they are also fun. They organize events like the Culture House Block Party, fundraisers and crafts, all of which give students opportunities to do fun things to de-stress and meet new people.

The numerous multicultural organizations and culture houses are one of the most important parts of Augustana. The chances of a fun on-campus event being created by one of these groups are extremely high, as they are so determined to make this campus inclusive and welcoming. 

All of the hard work and effort students involved in these organizations put into keeping Augie an uplifting and community-based environment should be better appreciated. One of the best ways a student can show their gratitude is by involving themself in the activities and events presented to them, which will in turn also help them find a community on campus.