Signature Programming

The Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center strives to foster a more inclusive and culturally competent campus environment where students feel a strong sense of belonging and where their similarities and differences of identity and experience are acknowledged, understood, valued, and celebrated. 

The Center offers programs, services, and spaces to all students, though our programming is geared toward educating and highlighting the experiences of historically underrepresented groups and their cultures. We live out our mission by providing educational opportunities, informative trainings, rich cultural programs, and inclusive services. We regularly collaborate with internal and external campus partners to challenge and rid out systems of oppression and inequality that have historically oppressed underrepresented groups. By doing so, we work to strengthen our institution’s legacy of service and inclusion.

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Affinity Graduation Ceremonies

The Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center and Student Growth & Engagement work in close collaboration with Campus Activities, The Office of Advancement, Faculty Members and ALANA student leaders to plan, organize, and acknowledge the achievements of students for the following affinity ceremonies that take place leading up to Commencement.

• African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College (AAAVC) Kente Cloth Ceremony
• Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander Stole Ceremony
• Council of ALANA Seniors (CAS) Baccalaureate Ceremony
• Latiné Sarape Ceremony

ALANA Fest

ALANA Fest is one of the Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center’s core events, designed to make visible and celebrate Vassar’s community of color, while fostering connection and solidarity on campus and beyond. This large annual event includes catering by local restaurants, performances by guest artists, student performers, tabling/interactive activities led by ALANA orgs, campus partners, and community orgs.  We value the opportunity to cater, support, and show appreciation for our communities of color on and off campus. 

Block Party

Each Spring semester the ALANA Center hosts a Block Party in the alleyway as a space for students to enjoy each other’s company as we wrap up the academic year. Block party includes student performances, good music, fun activities, cool giveaways, and delicious food, beverages, and desserts locally catered!

Financial Wellness Workshops

Each academic year the ALANA Center, FLI (formerly Transitions) and LEAD Academy collaborates with a local bank to host one financial wellness workshop each semester. Previous workshops have included: Understanding and Building Your Credit, Budgeting & Savings, Let’s Talk Taxes, Building Generational Wealth, Investment Basics, and more.

Heritage Month Celebrations

In appreciation and celebration of historically underrepresented groups, the Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center collaborates with student leaders, student organizations, and campus partners to host month-long observances or one-off cultural events. The heritage months our office organizes are below.

Love In Color

Our most popular study break event, Love In Color is our signature Valentine’s Day event led by ALANA interns. Each year, interns host a fun, festive, and love-centered event inviting all students to celebrate together. You don’t want to miss out on all the love and fun!

Open House

The ALANA Center open house/reception is held annually in conjunction with the Student Growth & Engagement Open House/Reception during orientation week for first-year students to visit the space, learn more about what the space has to offer, hear from returning student org leaders, and mingle with the ALANA Center team and their peers over good music, food, beverages, and games.

Retreat

The ALANA Retreat which is held every Fall semester, is dedicated to uniting ALANA executive board members and ALANA interns together to build collaboration across the ALANA Center/orgs, provide student leaders with the space to rejuvenate, develop their leadership skills, and think about their personal/org goals.

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We want to hear from you!

• Have a programming idea you would like to share? Submit your idea(s) using this programming submission form.

• Are you a current Vassar student and interested in volunteering for one of our signature events? For an opportunity to support ALANA programming needs, fill out the volunteer sign-up form.

• Are you interested in an opportunity to be considered to perform at one of the programs? Complete this voluntary performer form.