Preview of Selected Programs

The Office of Intercultural Affairs provides a variety of programs for the campus and greater Albion community. We believe that cultural-educational programs encourage cultural synthesis. That is, students are positioned to learn about themselves in relation to others who may be different. Exposure to different people as is the case with different ideas is the bedrock of a relevant and empowering liberal education. Difference tends not to be good or bad, right or wrong. Placed in proper perspective, this difference provides common ground for principled inquiry, growth and learning. Further, we believe that the dynamic interaction of cultures tend to create tensions that the involved liberal arts student can learn to negotiate.

Cultural Programming

• Latino/a Heritage Month

• Coming Out Week

• Native American History Month

• Black History Month

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Candlelight Service

• Asian Pacific Awareness Month

• Senior Dessert (Celebration for Graduating Seniors)

• Intercultural Women's Reception: Linking Women to Women Resources

• Holidays (e.g., Kwanzaa, Posada, Hanukah, Ramadan)

Academic Programming

Smooth Transitions
Partially funded by the generosity of DaimlerChrysler Grant, Smooth Transitions works effectively to provide academic and social support to foster student growth and adjustment to Albion College and the surrounding community.

Smooth Transitions matches first-year multicultural and international students with upper-classmen as well as a college professional and host family. The program provides guidance and direction to our first-year students in order to assist them in making a successful transition to Albion, both academically and socially. All students will be paired based on profile information provided to the office.

Components of the Smooth Transitions Program

Student Mentor: periodically meet with their assigned student, conduct study sessions with their peer student, encourage their peer students involvement in student organizations, and invite their peer student to various social outings.

College Professional Mentor: supports the students development via directing the student to appropriate institutional departments, assisting the students academic and professional pursuits, and encouraging the student to develop relationships with faculty and staff throughout the college.

Host Family: serve as a resource for the student in their new community. The host family periodically connects with the student inviting them to events, sends gifts and care packages to the student, and encourages the students familiarization with the surrounding community.

These dynamics, accompanied with various programming opportunities, function to create a support system for first-year students participating in the Smooth Transitions Program that encourages our students success at Albion college.