About the Intercultural Center

Mission 

The Intercultural Center (IC) engages and empowers our community through advocacy, dialogue, and support networks to influence campus culture and promote inclusivity and identity consciousness.

Vision 

The Intercultural Center actively strives to advance an inclusive community through affirming and engaging our differences, intersectionalities, and interconnectedness.

History

Established in 1992, the IC was created as a result of student activism aimed at securing increased administrative support of, and commitment to, Students of Color and Queer students at Swarthmore College. Since that time, the IC has come to comprise an ever-expanding group of students, including South Asian, Multiracial, International, Muslim, and low-income and first generation college students. We strive to foster a truly multicultural social, cultural, and intellectual environment that will empower students to achieve their educational and individual goals. The IC offers an array of programs and services designed to meet the needs of these groups individually and collectively.

In September 2016, President Valerie Smith announced that a major gift from James Hormel '55 and Michael Nguyen '08 would establish the James Hormel and Michael Nguyen Intercultural Center at Sproul Hall. The renovated space opened in fall 2018 and brings an expanded Intercultural Center together with the International Student Center and the Interfaith Center, including the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, under one roof in the heart of campus.

"The IC was a really meaningful way to connect with staff on campus as they were always transparent with their goals and what they do for the community. Students in the IC community were also inclusive and enthusiastic in all the events they organized. It was really wonderful to see many different people come together for events: town-folks, EVS, faculty, staff, and, of course, students." 

- Evan Conge '27