Columbia College Multicultural Affairs and Community Resources

03/25/2025

During Ramadan, practitioners of the Islamic faith participate in a month of fasting during daylight hours, instead replacing meal times with prayer to strengthen their relationship with God. During this time, Muslims will gather for Suhoor (the meal had before Sunrise) and Iftar (the meal had after Sunset), to eat together, pray together, and to build community.

We hope you will join the Muslim students of Columbia College and the Office of Multicultural Affairs & Community Resources tomorrow as we observe the evening prayer and Iftar together in the student union! Prayer and fellowship will begin at 7:00 PM and Iftar will begin after sunset.

02/20/2025

We hope to see you on Monday as we welcome Dr. Jessica Berry back to campus to share her research and experiences within the Gullah/Geechee culture and community in South Carolina. Dr. Berry is an exciting presenter with an interesting story to share. We look forward to seeing you in Breed 201 this coming Monday at 5:30 PM!

10/21/2024

This weekend, student members of SPECTRUM marched in the 2024 Famously Hot South Carolina Pride Parade to express their pride in who they are. We thank these and other students, faculty, and staff for continuing to make Columbia College an inclusive and accepting community.

10/14/2024

In 2021, President Joe Biden made a proclamation that recognizes the second Monday of October as National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Today, we encourage you to learn more about the Indigenous communities that have shaped the history of this land and continue to make profound contributions that push our society towards the future. You are invited to educate yourself, explore public Powwows and community gatherings, learn more about the Indigenous land that current landmarks occupy, and to recognize the continued contributions of Indigenous Americans and Alaska Natives.

10/11/2024

On October 11th, we celebrate National Coming Out Day. This year, the Office of Multicultural Affairs & Community Resources is celebrating by making identity buttons on the Mall from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM so that students, faculty, and staff can show proudly who they are.

Next week, we invite you to march in the Famously Hot South Carolina Pride parade with us to continue our celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride. If you are interested in marching with us, please let us know here: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/ZsZewW3v7q

10/03/2024

The registration deadline for South Carolina voters planning to vote in the 2024 General Election is quickly approaching! If you are planning to register either in person or by mail, you will need to provide a copy of the following items: a current and valid photo ID; or, a piece of mail that shows your name and full mailing address.

Reminder that all students currently living on campus are encouraged to use the campus as their home address. While you are a student at Columbia College, you are strongly encouraged to participate in the city, county, and state elections that impact our institution. If you have any other questions about where to register to vote, the materials you need to register, how to cast your ballot, when early voting and absentee voting begins, or anything else regarding elections in South Carolina, please visit scvotes.gov/voters

In-person Deadline: Friday, October 4 by 5:00 PM
Online Deadline: Sunday, October 6 by 11:59 PM
Mail-in Deadline: Must be postmarked by Monday, October 7, 2024

Are you ready to vote in the November 5 General Election? Make sure to save this post so that you have these important deadlines and resources on hand when you need them!

Voter Registration Deadlines:
In-person at County election office : Oct 4 by 5 pm
Online : Oct 6 by 11:59 pm
By mail: Registration must be postmarked Oct 7

Absentee Ballot Deadlines:
Request ballot: Oct 25 by 5 pm
Return ballot by mail: Received by Nov 5 by 7 pm
Return ballot in person : Nov 5 by 7 pm

Voting Deadlines:
Early voting : Oct 21 - Nov 2
In-person: Nov 5 between 7 am - 7 pm

Register to Vote: https://vote.gov/register/south-carolina

Request your Absentee Ballot: https://scvotes.gov/voters/absentee-voting/

Find out where you vote in person: https://vrems.scvotes.sc.gov/Voter/Login

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04/09/2024

Did you know that the United States celebrates a very important day in our history on April 9th? Join us as we recognize Appomattox Day, also known as the date that Robert E. Lee and the remaining members of the Confederate Army surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant and the Union Army in Appomattox, VA.

On April 9, 1865, Robert E. Lee signed the documents drafted by Lt. Col. Ely S. Parker that officially ended the hostility between the Union States and the Confederate States which would reunite our nation as the United States.

Many people know the names of Lee and Grant, but Lt. Col. Ely S. Parker is a lesser-known individual when discussing the surrender at Appomattox. Ely S. Parker was born and raised on the Seneca Reservation at Tonawanda. Parker was raised in the cultural traditions of the Iroquois and had the fortune of being educated at the elite Cayuga Academy in western New York. In Parker's advocacy work for Native Americans, he became friends with Ulysses S. Grant who was responsible for commissioning Parker into the Union Army.

When it came time to draft the surrender documents, Grant called upon his friend Parker to do so. Once Grant later became the President, he repaid his friend Ely S. Parker by appointing him as the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to carry out the Indian Peace Policy that reduced the number of military actions against Native Americans in the developing western territories.

03/20/2024

The Office of Multicultural Affairs & Community Resources is excited to invite Columbia College students, faculty, staff, alumni, and our local community members to participate in our upcoming Voter Education Panel. As the General Election approaches, the Office of Multicultural Affairs & Community Resources seeks to inform voters in minority and disenfranchised populations of the power of their vote, the issues that elected officials deal with that directly affect our lives, and a reminder of the struggle that it has taken for members of these groups to secure the right to vote.

We are excited to welcome representatives from the following organizations to campus to share their unique perspectives on the importance and power of voting:

AKA Upsilon Omega Omega Chapter
Alpha Psi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
League of Women Voters of South Carolina
Columbia - SC Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc
Disability Rights South Carolina
Harriet Hancock LGBT Center
South Carolina Centro Latino
South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs

03/11/2024

The Office of Multicultural Affairs & Community Resources joins the Islamic members of our Koala community in the observance of Ramadan. Each year, observant Muslims practice restraint throughout the month of Ramadan by participating in daily fasts and committing themselves to community service. These daily fasts are broken at sundown when Muslim families and communities gather together for a large communal meal.

We hope that all members of the Koala community can take inspiration from this period of community service and connectedness. Maybe this month you will also serve your community members, feed those in need, or reconnect with your family/friends who you have grown more distant from.

02/12/2024

The Office of Multicultural Affairs & Community Resources is excited to host this year’s Civil Rights Tour, where we will be visiting the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC. If you are interested in attending, please register at tincture.com/CivTour2024!

02/08/2024

Thank you to the J. Drake Eden’s Library staff for helping us celebrate Black History Month! Check out these resources in the Student Union or stop by Eden’s Library to learn more about the books, articles, podcasts, databases, and more that you can use to expand your knowledge of Black history, the achievements of Black Americans, and the contributions of Black Americans on society.