Multicultural Pre-Orientation
"Pre-O" is a early summer transition program for first-year multicultural students. This program helps first year students with multicultural identities build community, meet new people, and discuss topics about what it means to be multiucltural at UR all while having fun! The goal of this program is to prepare multicultural students for a seamless transition into the UR campus community. Participants also receive a multicultural peer mentor to help them the first few weeks of classes and to continue to be a source of support.
Men/Masculinity of Color Affinity Group
This group is open to all multicultural students that identify as male or as having masculine gender expression. They meet twice a month as a way to bond and open about how their identity may be impacting them at UR. Please see the Affinity Group page for more information about meeting dates and times.
Shades of Pride
Shades of Pride is an affinity group bringing together multicultural LGBTQ+ students at UR. Affinity group meetings are held biweekly and serve as an affirming space for student led dialogue and empowerment. Please see the Affinity Group page for more inforamtion about meeting dates and how to join.
Thrive Multicultural Experience
Thrive's purpose is to help multicultural students build community, develop professional skills, explore and embrace their identities, and prepare for their next adventure. The multicultural student experience is not a monolith and changes over time. This is why Thrive was developed as a collection of three different tracks; Orientation, Community, and Success. Each track is curated to cultivate, advocate, celebrate, and empower multicultural students throughout the different phases of their college experience.
Cultural Kickbacks
Cultural kickbacks happen in the Multicultural Student Space once a month and is coordinated by student employees of the Student Center for Equity and Inclusion. Each kickback has food that highlights a certain culture within the Multicultural community as well as great music. Cultural kickbacks are open to all students that are open to learning from and meeting different people than themselves.
For additional information about these programs and others please contact Dani Dho Roberts, Associate Director for Multicultural Programs & Support.
The university has 4 student organizations (Black Student Union, Black Student Coalition, Sankofa, West Indian Lynk) that specifically focus on bringing together and advocating for Black students at UR. Please visit Presence to learn more about how to join these organzitions and others.
Black Womens' Affinity Group
The Black Women's affinity group convenes Black students that identify as a woman or as having feminie gender expression. This affinity group meets twice a month and is facilitated by upperclass students and a faculty member. The group is small as a way to encourage deeper dailogue around ived experiences as a Black woman at UR.
Black Greek Letter Organizations (Divine 9)
Currently, the University of Richmond supports three Black Greek lettered organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. The purpose for these fraternities and sororities is to provide community for Black students and continue to uplift each other and the city they reside in to create service opportunities and civic engagement efforts. We welcome those who wish to join these organizations to chat with their members and stay up to date for any upcoming interest meetings.
Black Excellence Gala
The Black Excellence gala is a formal event that happens annually during Black History Month. The gala is a celebration of the resilience and contributions of the Black community through arts, scholarship, community service, and activism. Campus faculty, staff, students, and Alumni are all welcome to celebrate the acheivements of our Black community at UR.
Black Excellence Gala: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023
Latinx Heritage Month
September 15-October 15th, please see the celebratory webpage for more information on heritage month events and ways to participate in celebrating Latinx culture.
Cafe Con Leche
Cafe Con Leche is an ongoing program that happens each month and brings together faculty, staff, and students in the Latinx community and allies. This space is a great place for Latinx students to get to know each other and meet faculty and staff who share the same identity. We play games, have amazing Latinx food, and create culturally specific arts and crafts.
Spring Dates:
Friday, February 24, 2023 at 5:30 to 7:00pm in the Multicultural Space
Friday, March 17, 2023 at 5:30 to 7:00pm in the Multicultural Space
Contact the Assistant Director of Latinx Student Support Dafne Luna for questions about upcoming Latinx programs and support.
APIDA stands for Asian, Pacific Island, Desi, and Arab. It is an acronym used to represent all the specific identities within the Asian cultural diaspora, some which have been historically excluded as community members due to Western influence and imperialism. The Student Center for Equity and Inclusion is dedicated to providing programs and opportunities that empower, celebrate, and support all identities within the APIDA community.
Cultural Holiday Celebrations
Throughout the academic year we provide celebrations and worship opportunities for important cultural and religious holidays practiced across the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands. If a holiday has a strong religious component, we work closely with the Office of the Chaplaincy at the University of Richmond to provide these programs and opportunities as authentically and inclusively as possible. Listed below are some of the major holidays we celebrate on campus.
Holiday |
Celebration |
Communities that Celebrate |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Harvest Moon Festival | East and Southeast Asian Communities |
| Sukkot | Festival of Booths | Jewish Communities (Faith-based) |
| Diwali | Festival of Lights | Desi Communities, Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains |
| Lunar New Year | Beginning of the Lunar Calendar | East and Southeast Asian Communities |
| Holi | Festival of Spring/Colours | Hindus |
| Heiva | Pacific Island Cultural Celebration | Polynesian Communities |
| Eid al-Fitr | End of Ramadan | Muslims |
APIDA Women's Leadership Group
A leadership and mentoring group for Asian, Pacific Island, Desi, and Arab identifying women/femmes. This group serves as a community for students to discuss how racism, xenophobia, and sexism affect the lives of women of Asian descent on the UR campus and in the United States, more broadly. Its purpose is to provide an affirming space for students to talk about identity, discrimination, and gendered racism so that they may navigate campus race relations and advocate for themselves and their peers in productive ways.
For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Erkulwater or Dr. Tze Loo.
APIDA Heritage Month
An annual month-long celebration full of programs and events that celebrate the APIDA community on campus. The national celebratory month dedicated to the APIDA community is observed in May in the United States. However, since the primary academic year at the University of Richmond ends in late April, APIDA students are left without a cultural celebration month. This is why APIDA Heritage Month is celebrated from March 15 - April 15, to ensure that it does not impact other cultural heritage or history months.