Multi-Cultural Center Ribbon-Cutting

Publish Date: Sept. 18, 2025

Crafton Hills College’s new Multi-Cultural Center, a renovation and re-purposing of the second floor of the old Student Services Building, was opened on Thursday, Sept 18 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that brought together faculty, staff, and students to celebrate the purpose of this space: to be a place on campus where everyone feels at home and where their cultural identities are valued, amplifying student voices and building a stronger campus community.  

The ceremony began with Counselor Alex Jaco welcoming everyone and introducing English Professor Andrew Guerera, who played a few numbers on the tenor saxophone.

Counselor Kashaunda Harris then welcomed attendees and explained that the new Multi-Cultural Center is a legacy to the courage of students to express their identities, thereby strengthening the recognition and value of our diversity.

Associate Professor Chloe De Los Reyes then acknowledged the fact that Crafton Hills College was built on land once inhabited by Native Americans, members of the Serrano Indian Tribe.

College President Kevin Horan followed by saying how since he took the position of president, he had envisioned a multi-cultural center that students could regard as a space on campus where they could feel at home.

Vice President of Student Services Delmy Spencer thanked the Equity Committee for its work in bringing the new center to life, and Vice President of Instruction Keith Wurtz explained how the research data he oversees shows how students react to spaces where they feel accepted and valued with higher rates of academic success. Student Senate Jared Shaw noted how the new Center represents the college’s commitment to equity and helps students overcome their feelings of isolation.

English Professor Edward Ferrari followed by reading poems he wrote for the occasion titled Reform, weaving bits of casual conversation into a verbal tapestry that emphasizes the importance of moments of positive change, such as the opening of the Center and how much they mean to a community. 

The ceremony culminated with President Kevin Horan cutting the green ribbon with ceremonial scissors.

Associate Dean of Student Services Erika Paddock summed up the theme of the ceremony by saying the Multi-Cultural Center will be a place where students share their experiences and celebrate their cultures in their own voices, a place that units us. She ended with “Welcome Home, everybody!”

Following the ceremony, guests were treated to a buffet in the Center with a generous assortment of delights to nibble on as they chatted in groups and explored the space.