MRC RESOURCES
The Minority Rights Coalition has compiled an ever-growing list of resources that it feels minority students at UVA and members of the Charlottesville community at large may find helpful. Please fill out the contact form here or email us at mrc.uva.publicity@gmail.com if you believe there are any resources missing from the list!
* CIO: Contracted Independent Organization (Club at UVA)
** Information on this page may be outdated, check the Multicultural Student Center website or the Career Services page for specific populations for more information on programs and scholarships.
GENERAL RESOURCES
Multicultural Student Services
Multicultural Student Services (MSS), as part of the Office of the Dean of Students, aims to promote inclusion and engagement for historically underrepresented students. We enhance the undergraduate experience through co-curricular programs and culturally relevant services that are meant to empower students in their identity, build community, and help a diverse group of students find their individual and collective voices.
Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity (web)
The Office for Diversity and Equity (ODE) provides leadership, information, consultation, coordination, and assistance to the various units and constituencies within the University of Virginia.
Multicultural Community Resources (web)
Marc Paulo Guzman, Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Services at the Office of the Dean of Students
mguzman@virginia.edu or (434) 924- 4195
Just Report It (web)
Just Report It! is a system that allows students to report hate or bias-related incidents, as well as incidences of sex and gender-based violence that they have witnessed or experienced. There are multiple ways to report these occurrences. Please review the Just Report It! website for further details
Safe Ride is an on-demand van shuttle service intended to provide UVa students safe transportation home in lieu of walking alone after UTS has gone out of service. Safe Ride operates within a specific service area to maximize van availability and minimize wait times. Rides may be requested via Transloc OnDemand (online or mobile app) or by calling 434-242-1122. Ride requests will be grouped with nearby pick-up and drop-off locations.
Transportation Options Around Grounds (web)
Information on UBike (University of Virginia Bike Share), Zipcar, CavPool, Zimride, CAT (Charlottesville Area Transit), and Occasional Parking Programs
Pre-med minority students' opportunities (web)
LendEDU: Entrepreneurship and Small Business Loans for Minorities
ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER/DESI AMERICAN COMMUNITY
BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY
Office of African-American Affairs (web)
Peer Advisor Program (web)
Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies at UVA (web)
Luther P. Jackson Black Cultural Center (LPJ) (web)
Black Book (pdf)
Daniel Hale Williams Pre-Medical Honor Society (web)
Gradstar: OAAA Mentoring Program (web)
CIO: Black Student Alliance (Facebook, web)
"We, as concerned students, in order to stimulate cultural and educational awareness, represent the social and political concerns of the African-American student body, and to establish a more perfect union between various components of the African-American community, multi-cultural community, and the University community do hereby establish the Black Student Alliance of the University of Virginia."
External Professional Associations
UVA Student Groups and Resources
External Scholarships/Fellowships
DISABLED/CHRONIC ILLNESS COMMUNITY
Student Disability Access Center (web)
Accommodations & Services (web)
Career Center: Students with Disabilities (web)
Disability@UVA Blog (web)
Disability Studies Initiative (web)
Parking and Transportation Services (web)
Report A Barrier (web)
The University of Virginia is committed to equal access and the civil rights of people with disabilities. Barriers to this access may include things such as an inaccessible website, an inoperative elevator, a blocked access ramp, video without captions, or other lack of access to an event or program
DART (Demand and Response Transportation) (web)
Students, staff, and faculty of the University of Virginia, who due to a temporary or permanent disability are unable to use the fixed route bus system, may apply to use the DART service. An application must be completed to establish individual needs and service requirements.
Accessible seating at UVA sports venues (web)
Construction Alerts from Facilities Management which may impact accessible pathways
FIRST GENERATION/FINANCIAL SUPPORT
HISPANIC/LATINX COMMUNITY
IN NEED OF SHELTER
The Haven (web)
Affordable housing in Charlottesville (web)
Shelters and Supportive Housing Listing (web)
Shelter for Help in Emergency (web)
Shelter for survivors of domestic violence: services include 24-hour crisis hotline, 24-hour emergency shelter, resource assistance, supportive individual and group counseling.
Charlottesville Free Clinic (web)
JEWISH COMMUNITY
The Brody Jewish Center - Hillel at UVA (web)
Located at 1824 University Circle
Weekly events both on- and off-Grounds for Jewish students and the entire UVa community: Friday night services, Shabbat dinner, Bagels on the Lawn every Wednesday
The Jewish Leadership Council (JLC)
JLC is an umbrella organization for the 5 Jewish student clubs at UVA: Jewish Social Connection, Jewish Education Initiative, Jewish Religious Life Council, Jewish Social Justice Council, and Hoos For Israel
JLC works with Hillel to provide Jewish students at UVa a wide range of events ranging from cultural and educational to purely social
Contact Talia Sion (tps7hq@virginia.edu) with any questions
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
Gender Neutral Bathroom Map (web)
Safe Space Training Sign-up (link)
Various LGBTQ+ groups and positions around grounds (web)
Queer Student Union
The LGBTQ Center
Internships and volunteer positions (web)
MIDDLE-EASTERN COMMUNITY
Dr. Aliaa Khidr in the MESALC Department
Afghan Grand Market (phone)
Middle Eastern Mentoring Program (web)
External Scholarships/Fellowships
Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship Awards
To honor Arab-American students who excel in Media Studies
MUSLIM COMMUNITY
Islamic Society of Central Virginia (web)
Prayer Times and Information (web)
Contact Raisa Noshin (srn2vb@virginia.edu) or Sohaeb Mohammad (shm5nq@virginia.edu) two days in advance for rides to JummahThrough the opportunities we offer for student leadership development and empowerment-based counseling, the Women’s Center contributes to the full flourishing of UVA’s students, faculty, and staff, as well as the Charlottesville community. We develop strong women leaders and those who work beside them to bring social justice, especially gender and racial justice, to our world.
Designated Meditation/Prayer Room on Grounds: Newcomb Hall, Room 466
Spare prayer mats and hijabs available
Prayer times are coordinated through the MSA GroupMe: contact Al Ahmed (aha3mf@virginia.edu) to be added to this group
Muslim Students Association (MSA)
Contact Al Ahmed (aha3mf@virginia.edu) to be added to the MSA listserv, including the weekly newsletter
Second Jummah on Grounds: every Friday at 2 PM in Newcomb 489
Meditation Room in 1515
Directions: upstairs and to the left
Hours: 9 AM to 1:30 AM, seven days a week. Doors lock at 1:30 AM. Students already in 1515 must vacate no later than 2 AM.
Halal and Zabiha food options
On Grounds (dining hall food): all chicken breast and bone-in chicken are Zabiha halal, but chicken thigh, "rotisserie chicken," and pre-packaged chicken (e.g., chicken nuggets) are NOT Zabiha halal.
Meal plan accommodations can be made during when Ramadan falls within the school year. For more information, please contact dining@virginia.edu.
Off Grounds: Kabob Palace, Mezeh, Afghan Grand Market, Sultan Kebab, Milan, Burger Bach, and Indian Cuisine are all restaurants that have Zabiha halal food options. Be sure to check in with staff at each specific location to see which specific menu items are Zabiha halal.
The following restaurants either have designated prayer areas or will allow you to pray upon request: Afghan Kabob Palace and Sultan Kebab.
Muslim psychiatrist Mudhasir Bashir, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (mb5qd@virginia.edu)
External Scholarships/Fellowships
External Professional Associations
NATIVE/INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
Video Series on Native Experience at UVA (web)
CIO: Native American Student Union (Facebook)
The Native American Student Unions is an organization which Strives to increase awareness of the Native community on Grounds. Our organization promotes relationships with the surrounding Virginia Indian tribes, collaborates with other student organizations at U.Va.
External Scholarships
External Professional Associations
Links job seekers to job opportunities
American Indian Science & Engineering Society
National, nonprofit organization bridging science and technology with traditional American Indian values
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
Includes information about continuing education and job openings
THOSE AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC/SEXUAL ABUSE
Domestic Abuse (web)
Shelter for Help in Emergency (web)
Shelter for survivors of domestic violence: services include 24-hour crisis hotline, 24-hour emergency shelter, resource assistance, supportive individual and group counseling.
Just Report It (web)
Just Report It! is a system that allows students to report hate or bias-related incidents, as well as incidences of sex and gender-based violence that they have witnessed or experienced. There are multiple ways to report these occurrences. Please review the Just Report It! website for further details
THOSE AFFECTED BY DRUG/ALCOHOL ABUSE
UNDOCUMENTED/DACA COMMUNITY
DACA Student Resources - Multicultural Student Services (web)
CIO: DREAMers on Grounds (Facebook, web)
Our mission is to create a more inclusive environment and an overall safe space for undocumented students through education and advocacy.
Local Resources:
Nationwide:
Informational Resources:
Financial/Scholarship Resources:
WOMEN/GENDER RESOURCES
Maxine Platzer Lynn Women's Center
Through the opportunities we offer for student leadership development and empowerment-based counseling, the Women’s Center contributes to the full flourishing of UVA’s students, faculty, and staff, as well as the Charlottesville community. We develop strong women leaders and those who work beside them to bring social justice, especially gender and racial justice, to our world.
COMING SOON
Resources for International Students
FUNDING POLICY
The goals of the Minority Rights Coalition include providing a network of support for its constituent organizations, and that includes financial support. We want our organizations to be able to host events that are successful because we know that each exec board puts a lot of effort into planning events that promote inclusivity, encourage dialogue, celebrate culture, and educate the university at large.
Our goal is with MRC Funding Policy is to serve as a resource for constituent organizations on the MRC Board to make their events financially accessible. However, in order to remain financially stable ourselves and to be equitable to all our constituents, there are criteria for MRC funding:
Total request must not exceed $250, one application per organization per semester
Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis
Must be requested directly by the Finance Chair/Treasurer of a constituent organization in good standing with the MRC
For larger organizations, request must come from their exec, not a subcommittee
“Good standing” simply means sending a representative to regularly attend MRC Board meetings
(For ALC, policy is currently being decided)
Must apply to Cultural Programing Board first
They are your primary resource, and have members of MRC exec sitting on the board.
Plan Application thorough and reach all given word limits on the application
CPB does, however, have certain goals in mind that not all events will meet. In that case, apply to MRC but be sure to discuss why your event did not reach the goals of the CPB, and how your event pertains to the goals of the MRC
Event must be co-sponsored with MRC
Outside of co-sponsorship, no official requirement for target audience
Must meet with MRC CFO (Blake Hesson, mrc.uva.finance@gmail.com) before event.
Blake will be checking to see what other sources you’ve looked at, discussing future options, and figuring out what reimbursement methods work best.
At this time, the MRC will not fund non-board organization events
However, Blake will be happy to discuss other funding options at UVA that can help to fund your event (mrc.uva.finance@gmail.com for questions)
CO-SPONSORSHIP INTEGRITY STATEMENT
Event must serve the central purpose of engaging, educating, or advocating on issues regarding one or more minority identities. If your event is accepted, you must execute the event as it was described in your proposal in good faith. Organizations who fail to execute their accepted event as it is described in the co-sponsorship proposal submission will forfeit their right to request future co-sponsorships.
EVENTS MUST BE:
Accessible to those with dietary restrictions (includes vegan & gluten-free options)
Disability accessible - link
Transportation accessible
Accessible by public transit and/or other free transportation to and from the event
Use gender pronouns when introducing speakers, writing name tags, etc.
Includes accessibility to gender inclusive bathrooms - link
Must include minority voices in the planning and execution process
Uphold all applicable University policies and guidelines, Commonwealth of Virginia, and Federal laws
This cosponsorship is with the Minority Rights Coalition, and NOT with the Asian Leaders Council, Black Student Alliance, Latinx Student Alliance, Middle Eastern Leadership Council, Muslim Student Association, Native American Student Alliance, Queer Student Union, and United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity. Organizations are STRONGLY recommended to contact these individual organizations at: https://www.mrcatuva.org/constituent-organizations/
Eligibility requirements are subject to change at the discretion of the Minority Rights Coalition Executive Board. The MRC shall develop any forms, procedures or guidelines deemed reasonable and necessary to accomplish its mission in a timely and efficient manner. Those procedures or guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, funding eligibility guidelines, procedures for funding requests, and programming guidelines. The MRC has sole discretion in determining what proportion of available funds shall be designated for MRC-initiated programs versus the funding of requests proposed to the MRC by members of the University community. The Chief Financial Officer shall be responsible for ensuring fund accountability and record-keeping for all expenditures.
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