The first-ever Multicultural Advisory Council at Iowa State is being formed by the Multicultural/Outreach Committee to help bring various student groups together to discuss university issues.

As a branch of the Freshman Council, the Multi-Cultural/Outreach Committee is looking for energetic and open-minded freshmen to participate in the forming of its advisory council.

The idea has been in the works since last spring and funding was provided by the Multicultural Action Task Force.

Shawna Greene, co-chair of the Multicultural/Outreach Committee and a sophomore in animal science, said the advisory committee is much needed at ISU. She said the advisory council is a way to inform and involve freshmen and sophomores on campus.

The council’s mission statement is “to help serve the first-year student of ISU by developing and maintaining services that would foster understanding, awareness and communication in the attempt to create a network between freshmen possessing diverse backgrounds.”

Kate Kjergaard, co-chair of the Multi-Cultural/Outreach Committee and a sophomore in journalism and mass communication, said the council will help retention in clubs, and it will be beneficial to all groups involved.

Kjergaard said the advisory committee is a way to encourage formal communication between different groups on campus and a way for freshmen to meet others from diverse groups.

Greene said more than 50 groups have been invited to join the council, including ethnic/minority, religious, LGBT, international and disability groups. Ideally, she said the committee would like to start with a minimum of 20 members on the council.

The outreach is aimed mainly at freshmen, but if none are available to represent a group, sophomores will also be allowed to join.

The 50 groups are being asked to send a short informational “letter of recommendation” about a freshman or sophomore member who would represent their group.

The selected member will then be asked to fill out an application and return both forms to the Freshman Council office in the east office space of the Memorial Union.

Greene said no applications had been received as of Wednesday.

All applications are due Friday, Nov. 21.

Applications will be taken after the break, but the committee would prefer them before, Greene said.

Although no recommendations have been submitted, Greene and Kjergaard both said they have received positive verbal feedback about the advisory council.

The first official meeting of the advisory council will be held Dec. 7 at the Memorial Union. Kjergaard said during the first meeting members will brainstorm activities the council could become involved in.

Kjergaard said the council will allow the Multi-Cultural/Outreach Committee to expand its influence and will allow them to reach a lot of people quickly.

Green said the committee hopes to soon set up dates for the network of groups to meet.