February may bring images of hearts and cupid to mind, but this month isn’t just about Valentine’s Day.

Black History Month is a great time to celebrate our growth as a nation, as well as our development as a university. Butler administrators have worked hard to improve the university’s status in terms of its multicultural population.

One mark of progress within the past year has been the successful Efroymson Diversity Center, which is located in the lower level of Atherton Union.

The center, which officially opened last December, was established in order to enhance the personal development of Butler students while recognizing and appreciating the diverse cultures on campus. The center houses Butler’s Asian Students Intercultural Alliance, International Club, Butler Alliance, the Voices of Deliverance Gospel Choir, Black Student Union, Demia and the Latino Awareness Student Organization.

Valerie Davidson, the director of Diversity Programs and the Efroymson Diversity Center, said the center’s growth over the past year could be measured in the number of students who utilize the center on a daily basis.

“Students arrive as early as 9 a.m. and use the center as a comfortable place for study and relaxation until 10 p.m. when the Center closes,” she said.

Davidson said that the Diversity Center, or "The DC" as it is referred to, has become a very popular location for diversity related programs, meetings, social events, study groups, luncheon and dinner meetings.

Melissa Trahyn, assistant director of International Student Services, said she has been very pleased with the impact the Diversity Center has had on campus.

“I’m really happy about the use of the center this school year,” she said. “We have people coming in here all the time, and the offices are full.

“I’d say there are multiple things going on here at least three out of five nights a week.”

Davidson said she thinks the biggest advantage is having a center that is “the hub and heart of all student diversity activities within the Butler campus community,” at a centralized location. She also said she likes having her office located in the center, as it gives her full accessibility to the students she serves.

“Many of the student organizations that I advise have offices within the center, so it is very convenient for everyone,” she said.

Marianne Barnett, a senior majoring in sociology and Spanish, said she really is thankful for the center.

“The Diversity Center is great; I love having the center here on campus,” she said.

Barnett, who is also the Diversity Programs student coordinator, has been working in the center since it opened.

“It’s really a home away from home to me,” she said.

Currently, Davidson said they are planning to expand the professional staff within the Diversity Center, as they have already expanded their staff of student managers to meet the growing demand and usage of the center.

“This will enable us to increase the number of educational and cultural programs and events presented throughout the academic year,” she said.

In honor of this month, it’s important to recognize the effort for improvement that has been made in this country and at this university. The Efroymson Diversity Center is certainly one of those improvements, and it is definitely an asset to this campus that everyone can appreciate.

“I think people are becoming familiar with this space and it’s really exciting,” Trahyn said. “Students are really starting to make use of the center, and that’s the whole point.”