Angelina Pedroso Center welcomes Indian guests L to R Bhailal Patel, Director Yasmin Ranney, Advisor NEIU Students Rohit Joshi, Dean Murell Duster and Madhu Patel
It embodies the essence of diversity and intercultural cohesion as students from all backgrounds and ethnicities are welcome to use this space, designed to include representations of the various cultures as inclusive backdrops in artwork, sculptures and artifacts. The design elements are bright and dynamic and resonate for visitors with ‘Welcome” signage in different languages etched on the doors. Beyond this, its staff exemplifies warmth in a student-friendly space.
Named to honor the lifetime commitment to teaching embodied by Dr. Angelina Pedroso who taught at NEIU for 44 years, the Center has dedicated programming for the Latino Resource Center, the African African American Center and the Asian and Global Resource Center. Director of the Asian Center, Yasmin Ranney showed visitors the center and talked about planned programming for Fall and Spring which included a Ganesha Chaturthi Pooja, a blessing for the Center, performed by Shri Rohit Joshi, also a long term staff member and advisor to the Indian Student Association at NEIU
Dean Murrell J. Duster, Yasmin Ranney, and Rohit Joshi articulated that over the past 15 years, NEIU has done significant programming targeted to bringing the cultural traditions of South East Asia to NEIU.
These have created a cohesive environment for Indian students and their families. This particularly true in those instances where students are at risk of dropping out because they are unable to bear the costs of tuition and living. Some students lack legal status and therefore cannot avail themselves of financial aid and loans. Since NEIU provides opportunities to fulfill higher education aspirations to the newer Indian immigrants, the time is now to establish scholarships for students in dire financial need. With the support of the Indian community, NEIU can also have a Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Hall, or Conference Room, named after the famous leader.
Mrs. Yasmin Ranney stated that Indian students constitute a large percentage of NEIU’s Asian student population. “I am confident our community members will see this as an opportunity for giving. Once students graduate and have experienced the support from others, they will in turn become the benefactors when the time is right, and this culture of giving will continue,” she said.
India Post News Service
