The Nia Black Scholar Living-Learning Community is open to all students with a strong interest in the Black experience. It's a residential community where you can connect with others and explore racial identity and what it means to be Black and of the African diaspora in Oregon and at Oregon State University. The name "Nia" is one of the seven Nguzo Saba Kwanzaa principles, and it means "to make our collective vocation the building and development of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness."
Goals of the Nia Black Scholar Living-Learning Community
- Build a strong community for students who are interested in the Black experience
- Cultivate student leadership and encourage involvement in campus life and beyond
- Explore the history of Black and African American people in Oregon and the wider world
- Create a supportive environment where students can engage with and learn about the Black experience
Benefits of the Nia Black Scholar LLC
- Live and connect with students with similar interests in the Black and African American experience
- Engage in OSU community events and celebrations that center the Black experience
Requirements for living in the Nia Black Scholar LLC
- Attendance in the Educational Opportunities Program’s Summer Bridge Program
- Enrollment and completion of Ethnic Studies 223
- Enrollment and completion of Ethnic Studies 101
Campus community
There are many opportunities to connect with the Black community on campus. The Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center has programs such as Black Connect that connects students with Black faculty on the first day of school in fall term. There are also large programs like Pre-Kwanza, Black Excellence Celebration and Juneteenth that celebrate the Black experience.
The Educational Opportunities Program and Black Student Access and Success Initiative help to make a large campus feel small and accessible by connecting students to resources that support their academic, cultural and professional development. Courses from Ethnic Studies will help students explore the African American experience while creating meaningful interactions with Ethnic Studies faculty.
Facilities
- Located on the first and second floors of Poling Hall
- Students in the Nia LLC live on the same floors as students in the munk-skukum LLC.
- Close to:
Designed by students
During the spring and summer of 2020, two OSU student designers created a color palette and four large murals to transform the first floor of Poling Hall.