Iowa State University’s Student Government will host this semester’s first multicultural town hall Tuesday in the Memorial Union with the topic of ‘Does ISU Set Students Up For Success?’

“[The town hall] allows multicultural students to build and cultivate community through talking about possible shared experiences and resonating with one another,” said Mary Malausky, director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Student Government and a junior majoring in psychology.

Hosted by members of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of Student Government, the event will begin at 6 p.m. in the Cardinal Room of the Memorial Union. The event will include catered food and drinks from different cuisines such as Indian, Mexican, Asian and homestyle.

“We are creating space for multicultural ISU students ‘to be seen and heard,’ all while eating good food,” Malausky said.

The committee will engage in questions and open discussion, and the event is open to all students but will follow a multicultural lens to discuss the town hall topic.

“The purpose of the town hall is to allow multicultural ISU students to discuss their experience being a multicultural student at a predominantly white institution (PWI),” Malausky said.

Malausky explained that the town hall is needed for a variety of reasons.

“Iowa State has an initiative to support and engage in an inclusive environment for all their students,” Malausky said.

Malausky shared the graduation rate for multicultural students is low at most major PWIs, and Iowa State is no different. Holding a town hall on whether the university sets students up for success is intended to potentially shed light on solutions to this problem.

“Town halls allow students to engage in open and honest conversation that can helpfully bring perspective, answers and even questions related to the current topic,” Malausky said.

To RSVP to the town hall, fill out this google form.