A building risen from an old decrepit alley and a high-voltage powerline serves as DePauw University's most recent addition to campus.
The official dedication and opening celebrations of the Justin and Darrianne Christian Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), located across the street from Peeler Art Center, will take place on Nov. 11.
According to DePauw’s website, the CDI will serve as a gathering place for the Association of African American Students (AAAS) and The Dorothy Brown Cultural Resource Center. There will also be office space for Multicultural Student Services.
Justin and Darrianne Christian, DePauw graduates of ‘95, made a generous donation to their alma mater to help construct the new facility; however, the Christians didn’t stop there. According to Warren Whitesell, the associate vice president for facilities management, “the Christians have been heavily involved with the interior and exterior design elements since the beginning.”
After the decision was finalized in December 2016, the process moved along quickly. Official construction started mid-January, and less than a year later the building was completed. Though this proved to be stressful at times for Whitesell and the construction crew, he understood the need for rapid progress. “The needs coming out of the old AAAS house and The Dorothy Brown House were identified a few years ago. I think DePauw felt like we owed those students a quick process. The community also felt we needed to get this done and make it available to students as soon as possible,” said Whitesell.
The new CDI, in Whitesell’s opinion, is more modern than other buildings on campus. “It is unique; we don’t really have another place like it,” Whitesell said. “But that is what it is supposed to be: its own destination.”
The CDI is equipped with a salon and a barbershop, a basketball court, a kitchen, and a library emphasizing DePauw students and alumni of color. Though the CDI is one building, it is separated into two distinct sections so the AAAS and The Dorothy Brown House can feel autonomy while occupying the same space. According to Alize Frame, director of International Student Services, almost every room of the CDI will be reservable for student organizations.
“The CDI is hugely significant because it marks the first time in DePauw’s history that all of our underrepresented student communities will have a permanent space designed specifically for them,” said Frame. “Our goal is for students to walk into the CDI and be able to show up as their whole selves, without having to check one of their identities at the door.”
Having an entire space devoted solely to cultural centers is a big deal for Frame. “(DePauw’s) cultural resource centers have always made homes of existing spaces- empty dorms, private residences, academic buildings, floor lounges, a rented fraternity, and, in the case of the Dorothy Brown Center, a converted apartment building,” Frame said.
Though the space is officially devoted to the AAAS and The Dorothy Brown Center, its impact will reach beyond these two organizations. “The purpose of the CDI is to honor the histories of the AAAS and the Dorothy Brown Cultural Resource Center, promote student retention and academic success, collaborate with campus partners to create a safe and empowering environment for all students, and enhance the experiences of multicultural, international, LGBTQIA+ and first generation students on campus,” said Frame.
Frame also hopes the CDI will help to instil a sense of acceptance at DePauw. “The CDI honors every underrepresented community’s unique history, experiences and struggles. Building community is especially important on a small campus like DePauw and contributes to students developing a greater sense of belonging,” said Frame. “Making sure that students and student organizations feel at home, have the access they need to the CDI, and feel supported is our top priority.”
The CDI Dedication Weekend includes a 4 p.m. keynote address and a 7 p.m. kick-off celebration on Friday. The celebration continues at 10 a.m. on Saturday for the CDI dedication and a tailgate party before the Monon Bell football game. All students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited. The CDI will be open to all members of the DePauw community 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on the weekends.