About

Multicultural Resource Center

The Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) fosters knowledge, skills, understanding and awareness of multiculturalism and diversity, under the oversight of the College of Education's Diversity Committee.

The MRC also provides resources and student funding through its website and shares physical space with the COE Graduate Student Lounge (B103) on the first floor of Iacocca Hall. 

Multicultural Resource Center

Diversity Committee

The COE Diversity Committee oversees the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), including providing support with diversity-related events, awarding travel and project grant funding for students to engage in scholarship related to diversity, and providing support as needed including guidance to COE faculty, students and staff (e.g., curriculum, marketing, recruitment and retention). 

The Diversity Committee serves primarily in an advisory capacity, providing support and consultation regarding programs, policies and practices that address and celebrate diversity in all of its forms and promote social justice, inclusion and equity. 

Diversity Committee Members

  • Al Bodzin, Teaching, Learning & Technology, faculty representative
  • Lia Sandilos, School Psychology, faculty representative
  • Lori Gallagher Anderson, Counseling Psychology and School Psychology, staff representative
  • Jen Lauriello, Special Education, staff and student representative
  • Baigalmaa Shura, Special Education, student representative
  • Zhuozhi Lin, Counseling Psychology, student representative and International Student Support Coordinator (ISSC)
  • Beth Gen, Counseling Psychology, student representative and MRC Graduate Assistant

If you are interested in joining the Diversity Committee, please reach out to the MRC Graduate Assistant. Contact information may be found below.

Funding Opportunities

The Diversity Committee and the Multicultural Resource Center are happy to announce the availability of grants to help COE students, faculty and staff disseminate multicultural research and implement different multicultural initiatives in the COE, Lehigh University and the greater community. The MRC currently provides Conference Travel Grants and Student Research Grants. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis during the fall semester (September 1 - December 1) and spring semester (February 1 - May 1). 

  • Funds must be spent and the reimbursement process initiated by June 1. 
  • Any conference grant awards that have not been claimed and dispersed to the recipient after the end of the fiscal year (June 30) will be null and void. 
  • Students are eligible for retroactive reimbursement within the same academic year with a few exceptions (see Conference Travel Fund below). 

Additional Information and FAQs

MRC Grant Application Form

COE students are encouraged to apply for funding (up to $300) to support registration fees to attend research conferences in order to present work that advances the mission of the Diversity Committee (embracing diversity and enhancing multicultural perspectives). To receive this funding, the primary focus of your presentation must not only be related to diverse populations, but is also expected to address diversity-related and/or social justice issues within your field of study.  Conference travel grant awards must be spent and the reimbursement process initiated by June 1 of each year. 

Conference Travel Fund applications must include:

  1. Application Form with itemized budget 
  2. Proof of acceptance(s) as a presenter for each presentation (e.g. letter of acceptance from the conference)
  3. Brief commitment statement about your presentation(s) and description of how attending this conference demonstrates a meaningful commitment to social justice and diversity in both research and practice. The statement should be a maximum of one, double-spaced page, uploaded in PDF format.
  4. Abstract(s) for all accepted presentation proposals
  5. Signature Page, signed by applicant and applicant’s advisor

COE students are encouraged to apply for funding (up to $500) to support research needs that advance the mission of the COE Diversity Committee. The proposal of their qualifying project, dissertation work, or other student-led research project must not only be related to diverse populations, but is also expected to embrace diversity, enhance multicultural perspectives and advance social justice within your field of study. 

Student Research-to-Practice grant awards must be spent and the reimbursement process initiated by June 1 of each year.

COE Research-to-Practice Fund applications must include the following:

  1. Application Form with itemized budget 
    Complete and upload materials
  2. Brief commitment statement about how your presentation(s), description of how attending this conference demonstrates a meaningful commitment to social justice and diversity in both research and practice. The statement should be a maximum of one, double-spaced page, uploaded in PDF format.
  3. Summary of the research proposal (created in a separate Word
    document, maximum of one page)
  4. Signature Page, signed by applicant and applicant’s advisor

All grant funding is supplied through a reimbursement process. Receipts for reimbursement must be submitted by June 1. To receive reimbursement after receiving a COE Diversity Committee Award:

  1. Please visit the Reimbursement Webpage for processing student/adjunct/employee reimbursements.
  2. Once you are on this page, click on the Request Form.
  3. Fill in the following: Your name as the requestor, your role, and the approver (Zach Polzer, zap221@lehigh.edu)
  4. When you have completed the form, you will receive two emails--one to initial and one to sign through Docusign. 
    • After your request is processed, you will receive two secure emails from Wells Fargo. 
    • Follow the directions in the Wells Fargo emails to set up your Wells Fargo Account. 
    • Once your account is set up, follow the instructions on the purchasing site to enter your transactions for reimbursement.

If you have any questions or issues with this process, please contact Zach Polzer at zap221@lehigh.edu.

Resources

Resources & Support for AAPI Folks

Black Lives Matter Resources

Food Pantry for COE Students

At Lehigh, we know that difficulties related to food insecurity may extend to graduate students in the College of Education. Recognizing this need, a partnership among COE staff, faculty and the Diversity Committee has created a small-scale food pantry within the Multicultural Resource Center. A food pantry should be a safe, welcoming space where we both give to and receive from members of our COE community with equal measure of mutual respect and trust. As such, please recognize that these goods are reserved for students who are facing this specific need. Non-perishable canned goods and boxed food options will be stored inside of the cabinets next to the fridges, underneath the communal dishware. 

For information on local food pantries, please visit: www.foodpantries.org/ci/pa-bethlehem

Information regarding federal nutrition assistance programs can be found at www.benefits.gov/benefit/361

Gender Neutral Restrooms

The Diversity Committee recognizes there are members of our Lehigh community who prefer unisex style restrooms. We strive to create accommodations for all of our diverse students and their individual needs. Gender neutral restrooms are available on Iacocca's first floor (near the café) and on the second floor..

Please email the MRC Graduate Assistant with further accommodation requests, for yourself or for your COE community. Contact information may be found below.

Contact

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    Beth Gen

    Graduate Coordinator, Multicultural Resource Center