March 5, 2019<\/p>\n
After the snowstorm delayed the grand opening of the Office of Inclusion: Multicultural and LGBTQIA Student Services (IMQ) Center, the rescheduled event took place on Tuesday. More than 100 people came to celebrate the new space, which includes an expanded student space, a rainbow lounge, study area and programming center with computers and monitors.<\/p>\n
The Mariachi Mar y Sol, HAPA Hawaiian Club and Divine 9 fraternity were just a few of the clubs and organizations that performed at the opening, demonstrating music from throughout the world, the hula, step, traditional dances and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cDiversity is a fundamental aspect of the learning experience, and we are proud of the commitment of our faculty, staff and students to support and enhance diversity for all Lumberjacks,\u201d President Rita Cheng<\/strong> addressed the crowd of people in attendance. \u201cThe need to expand from a small room in the Union to this space, which is three times the size of the old one, demonstrates the success of our commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n Ivy Banks<\/strong>, director\u00a0of the IMQ center, and Erin Grisham<\/strong>, associate vice president\u00a0and interim dean of students, also spoke at the event, which concluded with a group-wide Cupid Shuffle dance.<\/p>\n The IMQ center, which supports students through cultural, gender and sexual diversity in a safe environment, is located in the University Fieldhouse, room 145\u2014the NAU community is encouraged to stop by anytime to check out the new space.<\/p>\n
![\"IMQ\"](\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/IMQ-0240.jpg\")
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