Bankhead - Week 1 - Holmes Cultural Diversity Center

 HCDC Staff Members and Practicum Students on Maroon Friday! #HailState

HCDC Orientation Table

Activities:

- Worked Freshman and Transfer Student Orientation Booths

- Created an Instagram Account for the HCDC Office (Follow us @msu_hcdc!)

- Began planning for International Orientation in collaboration with other MSU Offices

- Began creation of Pre-Departure Guide and Resource Manual for International Students

- Attended various meetings (i.e. Dawg Daze Planning Committee, USM Dean of Students, HCDC Staff)

Reflection:
This week has been a busy but awesome week in the HCDC office! HCDC is going through a period of major transition, and I have been able to get a firsthand experience in helping facilitate major changes within the office. The new director, Mr. Cedric Gathings, has a vision for the office that he is extremely passionate about, and the staff seems to be on board with doing as much as they possibly can to broaden HCDC's reach. I have learned that one of the best ways to really learn something is to teach it to someone else. By working the Orientation table and informing students of all of the programs that are housed in HCDC, I have really gained a much greater understanding of the overall purpose of having a cultural diversity center. What I also learned is that a Student Affairs professional must be extremely intentional when they are working to create an inclusive environment; I saw that especially in the terms that I used when describing the services that the Office provided. I had to be sure to really emphasize that though there were some programs that were specifically designed for international students and students of color, HCDC serves ALL students.

For my practicum, I am working primarily with Brea Roth, Program Coordinator for HCDC, who primarily works with international students.This is a student population that I did not have as much experience with so I really wanted to learn more about their needs. I am so excited that I will get to help lead the planning for the office's first International Student Orientation. I plan to use the theme "First Day as a Bulldog," and I am putting together postcards to send to accepted international students very soon. It makes me feel really good that the HCDC staff not only supports my ideas but also trusts my ability to implement them.

What I have learned about myself from this practicum experience so far is that I learn best by diving right in. The HCDC staff did a wonderful job with asking us what type of experience we wanted and giving us opportunities to create those experiences. Because of that, I have been able to get started very quickly, and I am excited to see my ideas unfold over the course of the next few weeks. I know this will definitely be a great experience for me!