Fordham University's Office of Multicultural Affairs upholds the University's mission to honor and revere the dignity and uniqueness of each person, in keeping with the Jesuit and Catholic fundamentals of faith, hope, and love. I recently spoke with Office of Multicultural Affairs Assistant Dean and Director Sofia Pertuz, based at the Rose Hill Campus, to find out more about the office's recent accomplishments and new initiatives. Q: How long have you been a part of the Fordham Community?
Sofia Pertuz: I have been part of the Fordham Community since June 2009.
Q: What has been Multicultural Affairs' most significant achievement during your time at Fordham?
SP: We are excited about the continuation of the Diversity Peer Educator (DPE) program. Each year DPE continues to grow with a great group of students who have committed to help create spaces for ongoing collaborations and have been trained to assist their peers with conversations about inter-cultural awareness. Another achievement that we are proud of is the official launch of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) and Ally Network of Support, where all members of the Fordham community, students, faculty and staff alike are invited to join by attending a training to help create a welcome and open environment for LGBT students and their allies. This is rooted in the Jesuit principle of "cura personalis" or the care of the whole person. Finally, we continue to hold our Sustained Dialogue series where we foster an open space that encourages dialogue as a way to share experiences and come to meaningful intercultural understanding.
Q: What initiatives is OMA taking to improve services to Fordham students?
SP: We are incorporating more multicultural awareness training in New Student Orientation for incoming students and training student leaders across campus including Orientation Leaders, Resident Assistants, Commuter Assistants, Global Outreach Leaders, Urban Plunge Assistants, Ram Van Drivers, and so many more. The main purpose of OMA's training is to create welcoming environments that are inclusive to all Fordham students no matter what areas of involvement they are a part of.
Q: What would you say is a student's greatest resource at Fordham?
SP: While I think students have excellent faculty and staff on campus who they can turn to, I think a student's greatest resource at Fordham is their peers. They can learn so much from the rich diversity that Fordham's campus has to offer and can get so much from hearing about each other's experiences.
Q: What is your favorite place on campus and why?
SP: My favorite place on campus is the Marketplace in McGinley Center, not only because there is food there (which is great!), but because it is where I bump into to many students that I can talk to about their Fordham experiences. I love to find students I can join for lunch if they are sitting by themselves because I always walk away learning so much and so glad I did!
To find more information more on the Office of Multicultural Affairs or to contact the office, visit: http://www.fordham.edu/student_affairs/multicultural_affair/
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