The Myatt Center celebrated its eighth year of providing a safe haven for the student body earlier this month.
The center serves as a hub of initiatives aimed at fostering an environment where individuals feel valued through outreach programs, cultural events or assisting advocacy efforts in student organizations.
Through advocacy, outreach, and policy development, the center works closely with other departments and student groups to address issues related to bias and inequality. The center works with a variety of recognized student organizations on campus including the Latin American Student Association (LASA), Black Student Union (BSU), Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
The center celebrates cultural diversity through a variety of events such as Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Pride Month and Diwali celebrations.
“One of my favorite interactions with the Myatt Center would have to be when the Office of Graduate and International Student Life and the Indian Student Council collaborated with them for the Holi Celebration and Color Festival,” said Dorothy Classen, international student life advisor. “I really want to see them continue to grow and expand, and the Office of Graduate and International Student Life would love to see the Myatt Center continue to collaborate with us.”
These events raise awareness about the rich cultural diversity of our Charger community, providing students with opportunities to share their cultural traditions, experiences and histories with the rest of the staff and student body. During this special day, students bonded over the pleasant experiences shared throughout the Myatt Center’s time on campus. “I truly felt that thanks to the staff and myself that when the Myatt Center was developed and opened, we as a university were going to be ushering in a new era of organizations,” said Zanaiya Leon, diversity and inclusion leader and UNH graduate.
“The Myatt Center’s UNO card nights hold a special place in my heart,” said Gabe Aliendro, a regular at the center. “From around seven in the evening until nine, we would let out some much needed stress, full of laughter and fun, it takes the toll off of classes and other responsibilities.”
Aliendro said the center is full of friends and people to talk about life with no matter if they are students or staff. The center has helped him become a person who is confident and supportive of others.
On Thursday, students from several different organizations gathered in the Alumni Lounge to prepare for the anniversary. Several features kept the audience engaged such as Poloroid cameras, which allowed for all attendees to make a board of memories, and an interactive video that every audience member was invited to be a part of about what their favorite part of the Myatt Center is.
For more information on the Myatt Center and events occurring, you can follow their instagram page at unewhaven_mcdi.
