The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center
Colvard Student Union, Suite 220
hcdc.msstate.edu
662-325-2033
In 1991, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center (HCDC) was dedicated to Dr. Richard Holmes, the first African American to enroll at Mississippi State University. HCDC strives to enhance the college experience of students and is committed to cultivating a welcoming and inclusive environment that supports underrepresented student populations as a “home away from home”. HCDC is dedicated to aligning retention factors by creating opportunities to implement holistic approaches to student success and degree attainment. Additionally, we support students by connecting them to resources and opportunities that assist them to grow intellectually, develop personally and professionally, and improve their overall wellbeing. Our aim is to cultivate equitable pathways that empower students to learn, live, and lead in a global and ever-changing world.
Through its many programs and services, the Center strives to:
• Promote student success by increasing the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students.
• Develop communities of support, involvement, and advocacy for underrepresented students.
• Provide educational opportunities for the university to foster a culture of access, diversity, inclusion, and equity.
• Implement and develop a structure to holistically assess experiences of students and outcomes of the center’s programs.
HCDC organizations include:
- Black Student Association
- Black Voices Gospel Choir
- FLARE (Fostering LGBTQ+ Advocacy, Resources, and Environments)
- HCDC Visionary
- I.D.E.A.L. Woman Program
- Indigenous Students and Allies Association
- International Student Advisory Board
- Latino Student Association
- Linking International Students in the Community (LINC) Program
- Men of Excellence Program
- NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
- Safe Zone