The purpose of the Thrive Multicultural Experience is to engage multicultural students as a collective. Thrive’s goal is to equip multicultural students for their next adventure beyond the University of Richmond. Students involved in Thrive will have the opportunity to build community, develop professional skills, and explore and cultivate their identities. The multicultural student experience is not a monolith and changes over time. This is why Thrive was developed as a collection of different tracks; Orientation and Success. Each track is curated to cultivate, advocate, celebrate, and empower multicultural students throughout the different phases of their college experience.
Orientation
Thrive Orientation is a transition program for incoming First-Year students to help them build a community and familiarize themselves with the University of Richmond through a multicultural lens before New Spider Orientation (NSO). This track connects multicultural students to resources and opportunities that they can use to support their wellness, growth, and experience at UR. Participants will also be introduced to faculty and staff that specifically support the multicultural student experience, so they are aware of the network of support available to them around campus.
Community
Students that participate in Thrive Community will have access to activities, sessions, and identity-building experiences that will allow them to discover who they are and the value their ethnic background adds to the UR community. The program will also allow students from different racial and/or cultural communities to connect with each other. Students participating in this year-long program will gain a network of peers that they feel comfortable with continuing to build a relationship of understanding and support.
Success
The Thrive Success program seeks to support and nurture multicultural junior students as they prepare for the transition out of their undergraduate careers. Through Success, students will be exposed to tools, practices, and information to help them confidently plan and design their post-graduate lives. Through various cross-campus collaborations with Career Services, Alumni Engagement, and Counseling and Psychological Services students will engage in post-graduate planning holistically.