This Fall semester, a new student organization started at the College of Architecture + The Arts’ School of Architecture. Founded by students Santasha Hart, Jorge Rodriguez, Naaly Pierre, Maria Sol Rivera, and Jasmin Jenkins, the National Organization of Minority Students-FIU (NOMAS-FIU) promotes the diversity of the student body in the School of Architecture. Although only in its first semester, the organization has already attended the National Organization of Minority Architects 41st Annual Conference & Exhibition in Indianapolis.
The organization’s president, Santasha Hart, is a third-year student taking the five-year accelerated track toward a Master of Architecture. She said, “The purpose of [NOMAS] is mainly to create a tight-knit community within FIU’s School of Architecture that is heavily based on the idea of bringing together a variety of cultures, in the hopes of learning from one another and becoming better individuals in the process.” NOMAS-FIU’s goal is not only to support students that are within the minority community, but also to encourage professional camaraderie between minority and non-minority groups. The organization welcomes students of all backgrounds. “Ultimately, we realize the importance of creating relationships [and] embracing your culture,” said President Hart, “and allowing [your culture] to impact your career[,] which is what we as an organization aim to do.”
The National Organization of Minority Students-FIU meets twice a month, either on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 6:30PM. For more information on NOMAS-FIU, visit its Facebook and Instagram pages.
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