Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education (OMSE)

1101 Hornbake Library
Phone: 301-405-5616
http://omse.umd.edu

Director: Christopher Lester, Ed.D.

The mission of OMSE is to serve undergraduate multi-ethnic students to increase rates of matriculation, retention, graduation and overall GPA. OMSE’s academic support activities include a robust, nationally-certified peer tutorial program with one-on-one sessions, as well as group review sessions, affinity group retention programs, and annual events. Our retention and leadership development programs include La Familia for first-year Latinx students; Sister to Sister for first-year multi-ethnic female students; College Success Scholars (CSS) program for Black and Latinx males, Service Learning Certificate Program (SLC) and the OMSE Academic Excellence Honor Society (OAES). The University Partners Program (UPP) allows participants to acquire professional development, leadership, and diversity skills by attending tailored workshops offered by the National Scholarships Office, University Career Center & The President’s Promise, Education Abroad, and Research and Libraries. Participants receive incentives and a certificate upon successful completion of the UPP workshop series. Students have many professional opportunities in the office, including work-study positions, team leader opportunities, and graduate assistantships. As an academic unit, OMSE strives to identify and meet changing needs that affect the success of undergraduate multi-ethnic students. OMSE collaborates with other campus offices and college programs to achieve this goal, as well as to promote a positive community of learners who are sensitive to issues of diversity and social justice. The OMSE office suite contains a tutorial lab and an open workstation lab with disabilities services software. Our space provides all students with an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect within a relaxed, empowering atmosphere.