Marshall Magazine Summer 2022

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Marshall’s new Intercultural Center will provide a haven for students from all walks of life to come together and connect.

By Carter Seaton Photos by Rick Lee and Austin O’Connor

W henMaurice Cooley was a student at Marshall in the 1960s, he said the only place he and other Black students had to gather and meet new people was a bench next to the maple tree in front of Hodges Hall. But for Cooley, Marshall’s vice presi dent of intercultural and student affairs, something he could never have imagined back then has come to fruition: an Intercultural Center. It’s a rewarding achievement for the university administrator who will be retiring this summer. “My hope is that all of our stu dents will come together in this newly

designed space to build bridges and relationships with people from all walks of life,” Cooley said. “There, they will be influenced by others, learn from others and walk the pathway towards leadership in a globally rich society. Marshall grads will become messengers and guard ians toward a socially and racially inclusive world in which we live and work with others.” The concept of intercultural ism has evolved over time in both the broader world and at Marshall. When the office was first created on campus it was called Multicultural Affairs. Then, eight years ago when

he was named associate vice presi dent of that office, Cooley suggested the name be changed to the Office of Intercultural Affairs. “Multiculturalism is designed for people from all cultures to learn about our differences, including your ethics, your customs and your worries,” Cooley explained. “Interculturalism is when people come together to grow and learn and influence each other. Therefore, multiculturalism is built inside of the movement of interculturalism.” You can see that evolution at Marshall through the spaces each group has occupied over the years.

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