Greenfield Center looking to attract a wider audience

Though it houses more than 10 minority groups on campus, the Greenfield Intercultural Center is not well known to most University students. But newly-appointed Interim Director Joseph Sun is out to change that. "What I would hope to accomplish is to once again put GIC back on the map in students' lives," he said. Sun left his post as assistant dean for advising in the College to take the interim post. "I thought it would be a very interesting diversion from my job as a school advisor," he said. "A different kind of opportunity to provide service to students." Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said she is happy about Sun's appointment. "I'm delighted – I think he brings a great deal of experience to the role," she said. "He's a very talented man and I'm very glad we could 'borrow' him from the College of Arts and Sciences." Sun has three goals this year for the center: to promote individual culture interests within student groups, to promote more multicultural interaction and to make the center a resource place for the University and Philadelphia communities. In order to promote more multiculturalism, Sun said, the center advocates different groups jointly sponsoring activities. The center, located at 3708 Chestnut Street, acts as a "home base" for the United Minorities Council and all of its constituents. Many groups – including non-UMC groups – use the center for meetings, support groups and even barbeques. Now in its tenth year at the University, the center also has a video library with over 150 titles, a book library, several meeting rooms and a large backyard for outdoor events. It even sponsors African dance and African drumming classes. Sun said he and his "human resource staff" provide students with both organizational and financial support. The money, he added, comes from the vice provost's office to support cultural programs. Sun also said he wants to change the center's reputation as only a "minority" place. "The GIC has traditionally had a reputation for being a center only for Penn's minority students," he said. "[We need to] make it available to all students on campus." But, Sun added, the center must keep sight of its original purpose of spreading multiculturalism. United Minorities Council Chairperson Jun Bang, a College senior, said the Greenfield Intercultural Center is vital to her organization. "It is one of the most valuable resources that we have – there's really no other place to go, not only for resources but advising, [and] having a place to hold events and meetings," she said. "Unfortunately, most undergraduate students don't know that they have the option to go and use it just as much as student groups do." In the near future, the center is planning to implement a bi-weekly newsletter and a program for students to learn how to become diversity trainers. The center also published a manual containing campus and city resources for minority students, including a guide to ethnic stores, museums and restaurants. Morrisson said she believes Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta plans to conduct a search later in the year for a permanent center director.

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