Multi-Cultural Student Organizations
The Office of Minority Student Affairs is proud to provide these links to our diverse student groups. These groups often include our office in their programming, and some use our staff as advisers.
Each section below contains information about various multi-cultural student organizations at the University of Rochester. If you know of an organization that should be added to our list, please contact us by email at omsa@ur.rochester.edu.
Academic and Pre-professional Organizations
Multi-Cultural Groups
A | B| C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T - W
Agape Christian Fellowship
Agape Christian Fellowship is a multi-ethnic campus-based ministry. They believe that the four years of undergraduate study is an exciting time to grow in Christ and in the spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith.
American Sign Language Club
The purpose of the ASL Club is to promote cultural awareness of the Deaf Community in the city of Rochester and beyond, and to create spaces where ASL students at UR can gather and learn from each other, increasing their skills in ASL and their knowledge of Deaf culture.
Association for Development of Interest in The Indian subcontinent (ADITI)
The ADITI purpose is to promote a greater awareness of social, cultural and political issues concerning South Asia. In addition, ADITI reaches out to all members of the UR community, encouraging a true cultural unity by celebrating our differences.
Black Students' Union (BSU)
The BSU presents and sponsors numerous student activities in all forms: social and cultural, educational and political, and community service oriented. Although designed to serve the specific interests and promote the culture and history of students of color at the university, the BSU is not an organization reserved solely for students of color, BSU is open to everyone and contains members of diverse background and cultures that unite as one.
Campus Crusade for Christ
Their mission is to give every single university student on every campus every year in Rochester three to five chances to hear and respond to a culturally relevant presentation of the Gospel.
Catholic Newman Community
A full-time parish with a full-time priest-chaplain as well as a history of full-time lay chaplains, the Newman Community uses the facilities of the Interfaith Chapel to hold on-campus masses throughout the week. This full-time parish has also been a source of community service, on-campus activism, and an endowed chair of Catholic studies for the department of Religion and Classics.
Chabad House
Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization. It is considered to be the most dynamic force in Jewish life today.
Chinese Students' Association (CSA)
The purpose of the organization is to promote unity and understanding among Chinese members, and provide services to Chinese students so as to help them adapt to American society and understand China. They also introduce Chinese culture to the community to broaden their perspectives and understanding of the culture, at the same time bridging cultural discrepancies.
Chinese Student & Scholar Association
CSSAUR is a non-profit organization having over 400 members who are current UR students, postdocs, visiting scholars and their family members coming from People's Republic of China. CSSAUR is always working to enhance mutual help and affinity among its members. CSSAUR also serves as link between the Chinese students/scholars at UR and the Chinese Consulate General in New York.
Filipino American Students' Association (FASA)
FASA strives to preserve a common cultural identity of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans, to give the general public an opportunity to know more about the Filipino culture and to promote cultural diversity on campus.
Grassroots
Grassroots is the University of Rochester environmental action and awareness group. They strive to act on behalf of a sustainable future and to raise awareness of our collective and individual responsibilities as stewards of the Earth.
Hillel
Hillel provides the foundation for Jewish student life at the University of Rochester. It is here to provide secure, inclusive, and nurturing environment for all Jews. Hillel is here to foster social relationships and spiritual enrichment, enabling personal and communal exploration of Jewish religion, culture, values, traditions, and scholarship and affirming the principle of Tikun Olam.
Hindu Student Association
The Hindu Student Association runs discussion groups, temple runs and various other activities that promote spiritualism and greater understanding of Hinduism.
Israel Council
The University of Rochester Israel Council serves to celebrate and promote Israeli culture, history and peoples through a variety of venues and programs, as well as serve as a medium to educate and inform the campus on current events pertaining to the region and facilitate an open dialogue at the U of R.
Korean American Student Association
KASA strives to expand the interest of Korean culture to the university, the campus community and the greater Rochester area. KASA is made up of a diverse group of Korean Americans, international students from Korea, adopted Koreans and non Koreans as well.
Minority Student Advisory Board (MSAB)
The Minority Student Advisory Board was created to be a coordinating mechanism that would serve as a political, cultural and resource base in the interest of historically underrepresented minorities on campus. They believe that certain areas of University life can be enhanced through collective action by a formal organization.
Muslim Students' Association
The Muslim Students' Association discuss all matters relating to Islam and the University of Rochester and to serve Muslims and those interested in Islam pertaining to religion, school, and social activities.
Orthodox Christian Fellowship
OCF is a cross campus organization primarily involving the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Sponsored through Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church, the group provides an opportunity for all Eastern Orthodox Christians to come together.
Pride Network
Pride Network's mission is to provide and support an open and secure environment to discuss issues of sexuality and identity, provide information and resources concerning sexuality to all University members and provide social and academic activities that are in compliance to the University of Rochester Students' Association.
Protestant Chapel Community
The Protestant Chapel Community provides the opportunity to practice faith with people of richly diverse faiths and backgrounds all sharing a common journey.
Satsang: Streams of Thought (SATSANG)
The purpose of SATSANG, which means spiritual community in Sanskrit, is to provide a community wherein ideas and understandings of different religious and spiritual paths can be shared, discussed and experienced through weekly group discussions, lectures, meetings, and events. SEEC will provide the individual seeker with a community to aid in the fulfillment of one's spiritual path, whatever it may be.
Spanish And Latino Students' Association (SALSA)
SALSA desires to bring a cultural, social and educational awareness to their members. They strive to enlighten the university community about the rich Latino heritage and culture.
Student Association for the Development of Arab Cultural Awareness (SADACA)
The members of the Student Association for the Development of Arab Cultural Awareness are dedicated to promoting awareness of the culture, religions, history, and languages of the Arab World through positive community education and enrichment. SADACA is a secular, apolitical organization.
Student Association of Vegan and Vegetarian Youth (SAVVY)
SAVVY is undergraduates, grads, alumni and staff committed to animal protection. Their goal is to reduce unnecessary animal suffering by helping people lead healthy and compassionate vegetarian/vegan lifestyles.
Taiwanese American Students' Association (TASA)
The Taiwanese American Students’ Association consists primarily of undergraduate students with a Taiwanese heritage or an interest in Taiwanese culture. For many of the members, TASA is a place to make friends that share a common interest in retaining and learning about Taiwanese and Chinese traditions and cultures.
UR Christian Fellowship
The University of Rochester Christian Fellowship is dedicated to serving the university community by providing a Christian Protestant service in the spirit-filled gospel tradition. Guided by our chaplain, Rev. Bishop Gregory Parris, and the nearby Church of Love Faith Center, UR Christian Fellowship enriches the community with the spirit of the Word of God and gives us a holy vibe.
Academic & Pre-Professional
Charles Drew Pre-Health Society
The Charles Drew Pre-Health Society is an organization dedicated to assisting students interested in pursuing careers in the health professions. It volunteers its services for the purpose of heightening the awareness and understanding of issues in health, medicine, and science as they relate to all members of the community.
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) with more than 10,000 members, is the largest student-managed organization in the country. NSBE's mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
The mission of SHPE is to provide a forum for the exchange of information pertinent to Hispanic engineering/science students and to increase the number of Hispanic engineering students enrolled at the University of Rochester. It promotes the advancement of Hispanic engineers and scientists in employment and education.
Society of Women Engineers
The University of Rochester Society of Women Engineers (UR SWE) organizes and participates in many activities aimed at encouraging young women to consider a career in engineering, as well as projects that help the environment and the Rochester-area community.
Greek Council
Multi-Cultural Greek Council
Each member organization of the Multi-Cultural Greek Council (MGC) has a specific cultural basis, which is the defining quality of this council. However, none of the member organizations are culturally exclusive. All of the Greek-letter organizations that are a part of the MGC have diverse membership.
Multi-Cultural Fraternities
Alpha Phi Alpha
Our vision is to to stimulate the ambition of our members; to prepare them for the greatest usefulness in the causes of humanity, freedom, and dignity of the individual; to encourage the highest and noblest form of manhood; and to aid down-trodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic and intellectual status.
Lambda Upsilon Lambda
La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Incorporated, a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 1982, exists to bring men together in Brotherhood and to unite the Latino community.
Phi Iota Alpha
Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity is the Oldest Latino Fraternity in Existence. Dedicated towards the empowerment of our Latino community by providing intensive social and cultural programs and activities geared toward the appreciation, promotion and preservation of the Latin American Culture.
Pi Delta Psi
The mission of Pi Delta Psi Fraternity, Inc. is to maintain its Fraternal existence by instilling values that nurture and perpetuate the continual growth and development of the individual through Academic Achievement, Cultural Awareness, Righteousness, Friendship and Loyalty while fostering ethical behavior, leadership, and philanthropy.
Sigma Beta Rho
The goal of Sigma Beta Rho is to help build a community that realizes and accepts that no one culture is more important than another. Sigma Beta Rho is a Multicultural Service and Social fraternity.
Multi-Cultural Sororities
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-trained women. The goals of its program activities center on significant issues in families, communities, government halls and world assembly chambers.
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a sorority dedicated to Scholarship, Sisterhood, and Service. The Grand Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has a membership of over 200,000 predominately African-American, college-educated women.
Lambda Pi Chi
Founded 16 years ago, Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/ Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. brings to life a vision whereby women, despite ethnic, academic and economic backgrounds, step forward to unite and lead within La Comunidad.
Omega Phi Beta
A Latina-oriented, women service organization comprised of prominent collegiate and professional leaders. The membership is comprised of women from various ancestries throughout the world including: Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as parts in Africa, Europe and Asia.
Sigma Lambda Upsilon
Sigma Lambda Upsilon is an organization that serves as a voice for women in an academic setting and provides sincere sisterhood and unconditional support while actively promoting academic achievement, service to the community, and cultural enrichment. Their vision is to bridge the gap between the Latino community and the campuses they represent.
Sigma Psi Zeta
Sigma Psi Zeta is the first and only multicultural Asian Interest Sorority on the University of Rochester campus. They emphasize leadership, scholarship, advocacy, community service and cultural awareness.
Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority was founded on the simple belief that sorority elitism and socializing should not overshadow the real mission for progressive organizations - to address societal mores, ills, prejudices, poverty, and health concerns of the day.