Right now, our community needs your support!
The Office of Multicultural Student Services (MSS) was established in 2021, and over the past four years has grown and developed into a comprehensive space to center our students with marginalized identities, while also creating learning and engagement for our whole campus community. Composed of the Black Student Coalition (BSC), Blue Resource Center (BRC), Ethnic Student Center (ESC), and La Plaza, our office hosts dedicated professional staff and student employees that create dynamic programming, collaborate with campus and community partners, and celebrate diversity in its many forms. From Black History Month and UndocuMonth to Native American Heritage Month and beyond, we host a wide array of heritage programming, bringing the richness of our students’ cultures to life.
Our team of dedicated professional staff and passionate student employees works tirelessly to create educational opportunities, forge powerful partnerships, and advocate for change. We also created a decentralized advising system, with MSS professional staff providing individual care and support for our 25 active ESC student clubs. We also offer educational resources like UndocuAlly Trainings and Know Your Rights Workshops, ensuring our students have the knowledge and support they need to succeed. Interested in supporting ESC clubs? Visit the Student Club Give Day site to donate directly to our clubs.
We provide a space of learning and advocacy for everyone, and now is your time to advocate for our programs and the students we support. We can’t do it alone. Right now, we need your support to continue building on our successes and expand the impact of our programs. All funds raised for the Office of Multicultural Student Services Fund on Give Day will be distributed amongst all of our programs to ensure they can thrive! Your generous donation will directly support:
Emergency financial assistance to help students stay enrolled and succeed at Western, especially in times of unexpected hardship.
MSS programming that celebrates and educates on the diverse cultures and identities that make up our community.
Student and staff participation in leadership development opportunities, including conferences and events that foster community-building and align with our mission.
By supporting MSS, you’re helping us create a future where diversity is celebrated, equity is championed, and all students have the tools they need to thrive. Your contribution means more than just a donation—it’s an investment in the future of our students and in the core values of justice and inclusion at Western.
Learn more about The Office of Multicultural Student Services!
Front entrance of The Multicultural Center, VU 7th floorOur Mission: The Office of Multicultural Student Services (MSS) creates initiatives and programming to support Western Washington University’s strategic goals in equity, excellence, and inclusion for our students. The MSS strives to create and ensure an inclusive Western Washington University community by centering and amplifying the voice of students with underrepresented and marginalized identities and supporting student success. We do this through collaboration, celebration, advocacy, and the development of learning spaces that focus on the topics of race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and ability.
Our Goals:
Enhances students’ understanding of their own and others’ culture, heritage, and identities.
Promotes and enhances holistic student development including advancing their intellectual, career, social, ethical, and social justice development.
Identifies and addresses institutional policies and procedures that create inequities to access, retention, and graduation of underrepresented and marginalized student populations.
Empowers students to impact campus climate through advocacy and allyship.
Provides opportunities for students to establish satisfying interpersonal relationships.
Cultivates campus and community partnerships to build networks of support for students and enact necessary changes to address bias and prejudice.
Students engaging with MSS programming.
Send a powerful message of support by investing in Multicultural Student Services and centering and uplifting the voices of the students that we serve.
Diversity is a strength in our community. Equity is central to our practice. Inclusion is essential for our students' success.
In community,
Amy Salinas Westmoreland (she/her/hers)
Director, Multicultural Student Services
