On the first floor of the L building at the far end of the west wing, is the Undocumented Resource Center, or URC.
The front door of the URC gives way to a communal space. A small front desk is the only object that distinguishes this office from a recreation room. A fridge and a food bar – a satellite of the Knight’s Pantry – is available for students to purchase lunches from.
Despite appearances, the URC isn’t just a place for students to hang out. Undocumented students can receive academic counseling for classes, legal immigration counseling and financial aid.
It wasn’t always this accommodating for undocumented students. Previously known as the Dreamer Resource Center, the center went through a massive rebrand and relocation over the summer.
Program Coordinator Magaly Corro Flores, who suggested the change, stated that the move better serves undocumented students who aren’t familiar with the DREAM Act.
“The DREAM Act never passed, and a lot of the students that are now undocumented … are not familiar with the DREAM Act,” Corro Flores said, referring to the origins of the Dreamer moniker.
The new location sports several individual offices, one for each URC staff member, allowing for documented students to be present and also providing greater privacy for those who aren’t.
Corro Flores emphasized the importance of allowing allies into the URC.
“The value of that, allowing all into the space, is that they also get educated and informed about the different resources and services we offer, because they might have a friend or family member who might be undocumented,” Corro Flores said.
The URC has hosted events such as Undocuchats and Crafts, which invites both undocumented students and allies to come chat over artistic activities like coloring, drawing, or other craft work. Corro Flores says activities like these help undocumented students connect with each other and their peers.
“When we have these type of events, we can have people that are allies, friends or undocumented students come into this space and build that community,” Corro Flores said.
The URC doesn’t measure student success in terms of grades or citizenship status. Instead, Corro Flores simply wants students to return to the URC without needing services.
“I think the purpose of this center is to support them throughout their educational journey,” Corro Flores said.
