El Corazon de Mexico performs in the Ebeid Student Center at Lourdes College. (Photo courtesy of Lourdes College)

The college’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Services has since utilized the funding for scholarships, student success initiatives, multicultural programming and professional development.

“Lourdes is extremely thankful for the opportunity that the O-I Charities Foundation has provided to the college,” notes Dr. Kimberly Grieve, dean of students. “Through the company’s generous support, Lourdes has been able to share its passion for diversity with students, faculty, staff and the Toledo area community.”

The college established the O-I Multicultural Student Service Program Scholarship, which has offered more than $50,000 in student scholarships since its inception in 2008.

The O-I grant has also provided an array of events, outings and cultural opportunities for Lourdes students such as:

•    National Underground Railroad Freedom Center outing
•    Presentation by Mohammed Bilal, MTV Real World cast member and diversity speaker
•    The Alliance for Black Student Leadership Conference, co-sponsored by the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges  (OFIC)
•    El Corazon de Mexico dance performance
•    Exploration of Diversity through Taste and More event
•    Latino Student Union Movie Night featuring the HBO Film “Walk Out”
•    Presentation by Baldemar Velasquez, president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee

Additionally, Lourdes College faculty and staff attended and participated in professional development opportunities such as the Great Lakes Consortium’s International Friendship Night, the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Conference, the Quest for Community Conference at Wright State University, the Race Relations Conference at Bowling Green State University and the Conference on Diversity at Rutgers University. The College also hosted an all-campus diversity presentation and training session featuring guest speaker Dr. John Matlock, associate vice provost of academic affairs and director of the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives at Michigan State University.