作者：辛西娅·休伯特

2023年3月1日

Two centers – one new, and one newly expanded – opened to fanfare and celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 28, offering Asian and Black students places of support and a greater sense of community.

The 亚太裔美国人（APIDA）中心 and the expanded 马丁·路德·金中心 celebrated grand openings with speeches, tours, entertainment, a diversity march, and other festivities.

这两个中心都位于拉森大厅的二楼，是传统上服务不足的学生的重要中心。

除了为萨克州立大学的在校生提供服务外，教育公平准入中心主任Chao Vang表示，APIDA中心将为高中生和转学生提供另一个上萨克州立大学的理由。

 “It will give parents and students a sense of calm, and a soft handoff into college,” Vang said, noting that 囊状态’s APIDA Center is one of just six in the CSU.

马丁·路德·金中心最初于2015年开放，为黑人学生提供类似的服务和奖学金。

“We want them to feel protected, safe, and valued on campus,” said Kaifa Yates, the MLK Center’s program director. “We want to help them get their degrees and start their futures.”

The two centers help support the University’s commitment to students of color. They also are a testament to the University’s work to create an antiracist, diverse, and welcoming environment for all, administrators said.

In October, 囊状态 expects to open the new Esaktima中心, which will serve Native American students.

囊状态 administrators, Asian community leaders, and others gathered Tuesday at a breakfast ceremony celebrating realization of the University’s goal of opening a central hub for APIDA students. The event’s keynote speaker was journalist and 萨克拉门托 native Laura Ling.

“囊状态 values its students,” said another featured speaker, state Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “Otherwise, there wouldn’t be an APIDA Center.

“Surround yourself by people who value you.”

随后，支持者们聚集在拉森大厅参加开放日和剪彩仪式。

The APIDA Center builds on the tradition of 囊状态’s Full Circle Project and Project HMONG, existing programs that support APIDA students. 在该中心，学生可以获得过渡到大学的帮助，转介校园内外的资源，转介研究生院，以及其他服务。

由于大约20%的学生被认定为APIDA， Sac州立大学是联邦政府指定的亚裔美国原住民太平洋岛民服务机构，这使得该大学有资格获得资助来支持这些学生。

新中心扩大了来自40多个国家和数百种语言和方言的学生的遗产。 功能包括一个休息区，学生可以在那里见面和交流，一个会议室，有电脑的工作区，以及描绘APIDA多样性的艺术品和照片。

该中心将赞助API（亚太岛民）欢迎周、API学院日、API领导力峰会和API演讲系列等活动。

囊状态’s MLK Center, a place where Black students can explore their culture and heritage, underwent significant expansion. 负责学生保留和学业成功的副校长玛塞琳·沃森-德比尼（marcelene Watson-Derbigny）说，它增加了咨询、研究和社区外展等活动的房间。

故事在照片下面继续。

在马丁·路德·金中心，萨克州立大学与当地企业和社区组织合作，帮助学生建立大学和职业联系。 它还培养了学生的归属感、包容性和文化赋权。

沃森-德比尼说，马丁·路德·金中心是科罗拉多州立大学系统中最大的中心之一。

“We have created an opportunity for our students to thrive and affirm the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” she said, referring to the iconic civil rights leader.

The center will add to 囊状态’s efforts to boost enrollment and graduation rates for Black students. 虽然萨克拉门托13%的居民是黑人，但萨克州立大学的学生中只有6%是黑人。 该大学继续缩小有色人种学生和整体学生之间的毕业率差距，总体毕业率正在上升。

“Our students are thriving,” Vice President for 学生事务 Ed Mills said at Tuesday’s breakfast ceremony.

“When I see our students, I see a generation of people who will lead us forward and give us hope.”