Latino Student Union

Multicultural Office Director Donald Glenn views diversity as a stained glass window made up of different sizes, colors and textures, each piece beautiful in its individuality — but they’re magnificent when they come together. It’s that message of unity that the University is embracing in its approach to diversity — the Christian worldview of bringing people together. For GCU, that means unifying its diverse student body of approximately 90 countries and cultures so that everyone has a seat at the table.

It was a busy week for the Multicultural, Diversity and Inclusion Office, which culminated Un1ty One Week with Worship Night and the Parade of the Nations. Students wore traditional dress and carried flags from different countries to show the diversity of the GCU campus. Students from more than 90 nations and cultures make their home at GCU. The weeklong event also included a talk with student-athletes of color, an art walk, presidential-styled debate and Cooking and Culture Night. “It was all about us coming together and continuing that message of oneness,” said Multicultural Office Director Donald Glenn.

Ajienne Lambey felt helpless over the summer watching all the social unrest on TV. So she expressed her emotions through her artwork and looked inward at what it meant to her to be Black in America. Darian Cruz expresses her culture through her cut paper creations, which include images of skulls, sacred hearts and calla lilies. They are all common images in the Mexican culture. They were just two of the artists featured Tuesday evening in the Un1ty One Week Art Walk, organized by the Multicultural, Diversity and Inclusion Office.

“There are a lot of things that I am unsure of. But tonight, what I do know, is that we are at a place that has allowed an opportunity for diversity and awareness and inclusion to be possible,” said Donald Glenn, Director of the Multicultural, Diversity and Inclusion Office at Sunday’s One Love Awareness Walk. About 500 students and others in the campus community joined in the event, symbolic of GCU’s commitment to love, compassion, respect and dignity this semester. The walk, which introduced the campus to the newly expanded office, culminated Welcome Week events and helped usher in the new semester as students begin in-person learning today.

The postponement of Commencement couldn’t detract from the achievements of the Students Inspiring Students scholarship winners who earned their four-year degrees. The name of the program is apt — their stories of perseverance are inspiring. “The amount of work ethic they have is amazing,” said Dr. Joe Veres, Vice President of Student Success.

Dr. Noe Vargas remembers what it was like to be new to America. He came from Mexico at 16, and one of the first people he could talk to in Spanish was his school advisor. He continues to pay it back. On Wednesday, he helped a group of detained immigrant minors see the possibilities of the American dream of education on a tour of GCU.

For Latino Student Union president Leonardo Quintero, the Día de los Muertos celebrations on campus are all about presenting Latino culture to GCU students and staff and implementing it into the culture of the Lopes.