ANSEP building: Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program, UAA. Foto / Photo: Archivo / Archive.

The Multicultural Center: a Compass in the UAA system
Accompanying system designed for students of color

BY SOL DE MEDIANOCHE

It is not easy to be a newcomer in college. Students need to become familiar with academic, funding, extracurricular, and support systems. Doubts dealing with academic matters can be brought directly to the teachers. For other concerns, students from the Latino and other minority communities at UAA can use the Multicultural Center (MCC). In the words of MCC Student Transition Advisor Tamika Dowdy, the MCC “is a community for students of color. We never want them to feel alone when they come to the University. We want them to feel comfortable in speaking their language, eating their food, and celebrating freely who they are.” 
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The MCC has a lounge where students meet. Also according to Dowdy, “We help them to register for their classes and to understand the financing system. We organize workshops related to cultural identity, heritage, and academic skills. The goal of what we are trying to do is support their success while they are at school.” 

The MCC offers two specific programs: Seawolf Success Program, serving first- and second-year students, and another that caters to juniors and seniors. The Seawolf Success Program focuses on those who have just finished high school, as well as those who have not studied for a long time and are returning to college. The aim of the program is to accompany the students through their adaptation process. Tamika says: “Many students who come to the University lose their way. There are lots of questions that students have along their way. We want them to have someone to contact, someone who they can ask questions and feel confortable. Our program guides them through a process because we already know what most likely they will be experiencing.” 

Some students might be the first in their family to go to college. For them, the Seawolf Success Program is a great resource for learning to navigate the system. It is also useful for students with a low grade point average, or for those who are unsure of their vocational choices. For every student, Tamika and the MCC team develop a work plan, which includes some practical steps, but also seeks to develop resourcefulness and resiliency, the ability to overcome adversity. Tamika concludes: “Many times students al- ready have these skills. They just have to learn how to exercise them in other areas of life.” 

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