Multicultural Center
The Stockton University Multicultural Center is a welcoming hub for the entire Stockton community. We provide a home away from home and offer enriching educational opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors.
Overview
Established in February 2023, the Multicultural Center is a welcoming and dynamic space dedicated to supporting and empowering historically marginalized and underrepresented students, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), at our predominantly white institution.
While open to all students, faculty, and staff, the Center intentionally creates a counter-space where the identities, experiences, and voices of BIPOC and other marginalized groups are affirmed and centered. It’s a place where students can feel seen, valued, and supported as their full selves.
The Multicultural Center is more than just a physical space; it is a learning environment that inspires scholarship, supports inclusive student success, and promotes research-based best practices. It also plays a vital role in enhancing social justice education and leadership development for all students at Stockton, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, or other intersecting identities.
Rooted in President Joe’s Ethic of Care—which champions dignity, kindness, respect, compassion, and civility (commonly referred to as the Presidential Pillars), the Center embodies these values in every interaction, program, and initiative.
Through intentional programming, dialogue, and student leadership, the Multicultural Center fosters connection, personal growth, and cultural celebration. It serves the entire Stockton community while intentionally uplifting those who have been historically marginalized. Our goal is to empower students to become compassionate leaders and advocates for equity, belonging, and lasting change on campus and beyond.
The Sense of Belonging Theory offers a powerful, research-based foundation for the work of the Multicultural & Interfaith Center (MIC) at Stockton University. Research shows that students who experience a strong sense of belonging are more likely to persist, succeed academically, and feel connected to their institution (Strayhorn, 2018). This is especially critical for BIPOC and systemically marginalized students at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), where experiences of exclusion are more frequent. The MIC serves as a vital counterspace affirming cultural identity, promoting religious and spiritual pluralism, and fostering authentic community through both multicultural and interfaith engagement. By anchoring our work in this theory, we intentionally create inclusive environments where students of all backgrounds including those navigating faith, spirituality, or non-belief feel seen, supported, and connected. In doing so, we not only increase engagement and retention, but empower students to thrive holistically, academically, and socially.
The Multicultural fosters equity, belonging, and student success by centering BIPOC, first-generation, and spiritually diverse students. Grounded in belonging and interfaith leadership theories, we support identity development, inclusive leadership, and spiritual growth through programs and partnerships that prepare students to lead change on campus and beyond.
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