UO’s Black Cultural Center celebrates five years

"When I arrived at the UO in 2019 to open the BCC, I had little understanding of how much it would mean to not only Black students, but also Black faculty and staff," says Dr. Aris Hall, inaugural director of the BCC. "The opportunity to take this space from a building to a home has meant the world to me. Through donor support and grants, we have strengthened our programmatic initiatives, scholarships, and cultural experiential learning opportunities for current and future students. Looking ahead, we'll build more impactful programs and services that help advocate and support Black students with intentional connections to Black faculty, staff, and alumni." 

The BCC was established after the UO Black Student Taskforce demanded that there be a gathering place for Black students on campus in 2015. These demands mimicked similar concerns that Black students had raised more than fifty years ago in 1968. In 2019 the University of Oregon Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name the new Black Cultural Center after Lyllye Reynolds-Parker, a beloved former UO academic adviser. Her legacy of activism and commitment to both the university and the greater Eugene-Springfield community was matched only by her impact on students. Supported by donors such as Dave Petrone, BS ’66 (economics), MBA ’68 (finance and business environment), and his wife Nancy, who gave the lead gift for the BCC to be built, the center’s groundbreaking in 2018 represented not only decades of advocacy, but also a victory for student welfare.

“I talked to students in the Black community and the consistent theme was that they needed a place to go,” says Dave Petrone. “The hope was that by building the facility, it would draw more of the Black student population to the university and help them feel connected to campus. And we’ve seen the effects—when I made the gift, the UO student body was comprised of only five percent Black or African American identifying students. That has since increased to seven percent.”

Today, when you walk into the BCC, you’re welcomed by enthusiastic student employees, a substantial bookcase dedicated to the works of Black authors, and artwork centering Black joy, elegance, and culture. The BCC is a hub for activity and a gathering place for students to stop in and grab a snack between classes, join a study session, or take advantage of any of the center’s dynamic academic, professional development, or wellness programs.

 

Learn about the BCC's impact

Many students would not have had a positive connection to the UO were it not for the BCC. The impact the center has had on their lives is carried with them as they pursue outstanding careers and establish their own identities in the working world. 

Miranda Menard, BS ’18 (planning, public policy and management, environmental studies), MCRP ’20, MBA ’21, is just one alumna whose life was shaped by the BCC. Menard now serves on the Black Alumni Network (BAN) working to connect Black alumni and provide support to current Black students at the UO. 

“The opening of the BCC at the start of my graduate studies transformed my UO experience, even during the Covid-19 pandemic,” she says. “It offered me a place to be myself and build relationships—friendships with fellow Black Ducks and mentorship with Black professionals that would go far beyond my time in Eugene. The BCC is a place for Black Ducks to connect with our community, receive support, and grow the next generation.” 

The following are stories about students and alumni who have left their mark at the BCC and are a testament to the power of community and the investment in equity on college campuses.
 

Support the BCC

By investing in the success of Black students, the BCC enhances the cultural and social development of the entire University of Oregon community. 

One of the most important areas donors can contribute to is student scholarships. Students who engage in leadership, academic prowess, and community service are eligible for the Black Cultural Center Scholarship Fund. This scholarship ranges from $2,500 for an incoming first-year, all the way up to $7,000 for a graduate or law student. Since 2021, the BCC has awarded twenty-seven scholarships totaling more than $100,000 in accordance with the university’s goal to support student retention. The funds have benefited students like Skyler Humphrey-Davis, MA ’23 (global studies), who was able to use the BCC Scholarship Fund to support her capstone project. 

Giving to the BCC also ensures that the diverse community-building programs and resources that the BCC offers continue in perpetuity. From Let’s Talk, a service that provides access to free and confidential counseling services, to Super Soul Tuesdays, which brings together Black students, faculty, and staff—these programs and events are the cornerstones of wellbeing for many Black students. 

“I'm grateful that I found the community that propelled me to become a better person, a better student, and a better professional,” says Alyeecia Knight, alumna and former BCC public relations and events assistant. “The BCC shaped me to be in the position I am today. I hope that it impacts students the way it did me.”

—By Sage Kiernan-Sherrow, Advancement editorial and communications specialist, and Rosie Martin, Advancement communications associate