Grant money offered

The Multicultural Resource Center and the Center for Service and Learning will be hosting an open information session on Oct. 5, intended for students to start thinking about applying for Hewlett Grants.

The grants are just one part of Common Ground: Education for Democracy, an Oberlin program which is being supported by over $100,000 in funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Organizers intend to spread out the fund by awarding several grants to organizations each semester and also by funding Winter Term projects.

Student organizations will have a chance to build coalitions in hopes of being more effective thanks to two new College grants.

Dean of Students Peter Goldsmith said, "The grant is a three-year grant and in this year we are particularly eager to see that the student portion of this grant is well used and well advertised."

According to Goldsmith, students will receive hands-on assistance with their grant applications. "The process has been altered slightly in order to be certain that there is a staff member - either of the Center for Service and Learning or the Multicultural Resource Center - attached to each project to help them through the process," said Goldsmith.

In addition to the student organization grants the Hewlett grant will support various other programs that deal with diversity, multiculturalism and campus dialogue.

According to the Hewlett Committee's executive summary, the grant is designed to bring students from different ethnic, racial, income, religious, gender and sexual orientation groups together to work in academic, cultural or community projects.

Last semester six groups were awarded grants for their proposals. The Asian American Alliance, La Alianza Latina, and the South Asian Student Alliance combined for the "Minority Bone Marrow Registration Drive."

The AAA and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Union supported an Asian American theater group, SLANT.

"Building Oberlin's Community: Creating Interaction and connections through cultural awareness" was organized by the College InterAction Council.

La Alianza Latina and 12 Inches of Velvet were responsible for the "HIV/AIDS" awareness concert.

The Oberlin Student Theater Organization and La Alianza Latina produced "The Oberlin Prism/Shades of Life."

The Korean Students Association and the Shansi Student Committee hosted a lecture by Iris Chang.

Finally, the LGBTU and the Sexual Information Center collaborated on the "Oberlin Community Youth Support Development Program."