The MOSAIC Center (TMC) is a multicultural resource center. Located in the J.M. McDonald Student Center in Chapman Hall, The MOSAIC Center was established to educate the campus regarding issues of inequality, promote cultural diversity in many forms, and provide a space for dialogue for and with the entire campus community.
The MOSAIC Center aims to empower both people with marginalized identities, as well as people with privilege to create social change and build a stronger campus community. The main goal of the Center is to create an environment where cultural exchange, education and an appreciation for diverse identities is fostered and celebrated. The Center is an open space where all students can enlighten themselves and others through a better understanding of culture and identify their role in the greater community.
The MOSAIC Center stands for a "Multicultural Opportunity for Support, Advocacy, Inclusion and Change".
All students (and staff/faculty) play a role in creating a positive, welcoming environment. However, people can be marginalized due to a number of identities, including race and ethnicity, sex and gender, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, religion and spirituality, and age. The MOSAIC Center works to close gaps between and among individuals and communities using a variety of methods, including advocacy, bystander training, raising awareness of issues (particularly of privilege, since those who have it, often don’t understand it), providing a space for dialogue, and responding to issues that happen on campus (proactively and reactively).
The MOSAIC Center is managed by a team of student directors who report to the Vice President for Student Affairs. Daily operations and staffing are provided by a rotating monthly staff of students who have on-going training in areas of equity, diversity and inclusion. To date, the MOSAIC Center events and initiatives have included:
- Creating space in the JM McDonald Student Center to serve as a resource and idea center regarding multicultural programs and services to students.
- Hosting a MOSAIC Week of programming centered on understanding underrepresented and often marginalized identities as well as creating a campus that continues to be more inclusive.
- Providing support to campus-wide town hall conversations.
- Launching the #WeTooStandWithYou campaign in support of diverse student, faculty, and staff communities at Cazenovia College.
- Hosting a campus/community Dinner and Dialogue to discuss the Cazenovia experience both on and off campus.
- Displaying a photo project about stereotypes and culture. View the photos from this cultural stereotypes project.
- Sharing of a campaign to dispel myths around sexual assault and bring a new level of awareness to the campus.
Want to know more?
Stop by the Center or contact the Office of Student Affairs at 315-655-7310.
The MOSAIC Center logo design: Tayler May, visual communications student.