Diversity Services

Mandates:

• To discuss and propose ways to increase diversity at all levels of Harding University (student body, faculty, staff and board).
• To ensure that minority students feel affirmed and supported at Harding.
• To educate majority students and staff about issues of diversity.

The Multicultural Student Action Committee is composed of student leaders who initiate, plan and implement programs that increase multicultural awareness at Harding. The committee’s purpose is fourfold:

• to play an instrumental part in involving Harding’s minority students in campus life,
• to provide activities that can be enjoyed by all students on campus,
• to increase awareness of the different nationalities/ethnicities, and
• to provide service to Harding University and the community as a whole.

Officer: Amanda Brown, president
Sponsor: Tiffany Byers

The Black Student Association is an organization established to provide community and empowerment for Black students. The mission of the BSA is to promote leadership, cultural awareness, understanding and appreciation of Black cultures within the Harding community. Meetings are held to discuss current events happening within the Black community on and off campus as a way to share Black culture with those who are not personally familiar.

Officers:
Zalen Robinson, President
Mar’Reion Claybrooks – Vice President
Patricia Baptiste – Secretary
Nick Watson – Event Planner
Michelle Uwah – Public relations
Randolph Joseph – Spiritual Life

Sponsors:
Tim Westbrook
Jessica Berry

Frequently asked questions:

When are the meetings? Meetings happen every other Thursday. The first meeting for Fall 2024 will be on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.

Do I have to be Black to come to meetings or be a part of the BSA? No. You do not have to be Black to be involved. The BSA is an inclusive organization.

Harding Chinese Student Scholars Association serves all Chinese students and scholars at Harding University. HCSSA’s goal is to allow all Chinese students to totally enter the American life and join all school activities. We play an important role to connect our students and American friends.

Learn more about our offerings.

The African American Alumni Association is designed to increase diversity and promote the general welfare of African American students through:

• Encouraging recruitment and enrollment of African American students (Recruit);
• Supporting African American students in increasing cultural sensitivity and inclusion (Support);
• Creating opportunity to provide financial support to African American students (Retain);
• Increasing African American Alumni engagement and participation (Engage)

For information on how to give or join, visit harding.edu/hua4.

Officers:
Vicky Valentine-Phillips, president
Briana Cunningham, vice president
Michael Stone, second vice president
Naomi Valentine, secretary

Smiles for Christ is a service project hosted at Harding University responsible for raising funds for mentally-challenged children and adults in Honduras. Its mission is to help and serve wherever there is a need in the community through collaboration and work of people who, inspired by the love of Christ and his example, wish to serve others.

Smiles for Christ meets twice every month during the school year. Meetings are hosted in the Mabee building on Thursdays where we discuss different activities planned for upcoming weeks. Our main activities are Pupusa Sales, which typically happen twice a semester, and Latin Fest, which happens during the spring semester and invites the non-Latin community to the McInteer Rotunda to celebrate Latin heritage and features delicious traditional snacks from the different countries represented.

There are several ways in which the Harding community can get involved with Smiles for Christ. One of the easiest ways is to support and attend our events throughout the semester or to purchase different items (handmade purses, earrings, shoes) that we also sell. We also invite anyone to attend the meetings to learn more about our mission and support the Latin Fest.

Officers:
Javier Lara, president
Emily Mejia, vice president
Elsie Rojas, logistics
Diana Dopeso and Emeth Camaño, marketing
Adrian Amstrong and Vivian Gutierrez, accounting
Michell Funez and Jaqueline Palomino, encouragement
Daryelis De Leon, design
Lizzie Soto and Daryelis De Leon, media
Jorge Aldo Sanchez, Julieta Lopez, Aurelio Coxaj and Anny Cabrera, leaders

Justified serves as a dynamic, soulful and spiritual representation of a capella music on the Harding campus. As a choir, our aim is to inspire joy, introduce diversity, and promote a culture of inclusion and unity through music.

As the brainchild of the BSA, Justified has launched forward to create a culturally and ethnically diverse sound, providing a space for creative expression and collaboration. Students travel throughout the U.S. delivering a musical experience that glorifies God, bringing a message of love, peace and hope, calling all singers and songwriters to the next generation in sound.

Director: Danielle Joseph and Leon Lewis