I visited each Program and Resource Center held within Costo Hall so that I could see for myself, and properly tell of how wonderful each one is.
I want to start by saying that in my time here at UCR, some of the kindest and most passionate people I have ever met; I met in Costo Hall. These Programs put in a tremendous amount of effort into making the entire campus a comfortable and fun safe-space for all students. It is a hard lot of hard work but is all labor done out of love for their communities and for this school.
The LGBT Resource Center is another one of Costo Halls student programs and it can be found in room 245. They’re open 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Monday to Thursday, and 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. on Fridays. The LGBT Center offers a great, comfortable area to relax and talk as well as quiet spaces to study. They have a plethora of resources on hand as well that students are welcome to take free of charge, no questions asked. The LGBT student Program is another Center that is event driven, with events nearly every day of the week. They have ‘Tuesday Talks’, Queer Cinema Nights, Drag Club, QTPOC, La Familia, BlaqOUT, The Trans Group and more. To get updates about their events you can follow them on Instagram @UCRLGBTRC or sign up for their weekly e-newsletter at https://out.ucr.edu/newsletter.
The Middle Eastern Student Center is found in room 111 of Costo Hall. They’re open Monday to Friday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. They offer a great, friendly, safe space for studying and community. They have lots of events, lectures, and workshops that work towards teaching things like networking, leadership, and advocacy. They do ‘Mescafe Tuesdays’ at 11am for fun, educational discussions with coffee. Every spring they host M.E Week which works to create cultural awareness and showcase diversity while fighting against discrimination and islamophobia. Keep track of all MESC’s awesome events by checking them out and following them on Instagram @mescucr.
Room 229 of Costo Hall is home to The Native American Student Program. They’re open from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday to Friday. The NASP is also incredibly dedicated to their student community, making sure that their students can get the resources they need, and offering a safe space for any and all Native American students, where they can learn about and become empowered by their identities. They have lots of upcoming events, with a new lecture series coming in March, their 40th Annual Powwow on May 26th-28th, Medicine Ways in late spring, and a Summer Program for Native Youth. They put a lot of love and thought into every event, so be sure to follow them on Social media to keep updated. Instagram: NASP_UCR, Facebook: NASPUCR, Twitter: @NASPUCR, YouTube: NASPUCR.
The Veterans Center here at UCR can be found in Costo Hall in room 125. They’re open Monday to Thursday from 8 A.M. to 7 P.M., and from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Fridays. They’re goal is to offer Military connected students any and all resources they could possibly need to succeed in Academia, and life in general. Though they are focused on one specific community they are incredibly friendly and welcoming to everyone who steps through their doors, as every Student Center in Costo Hall is. They offer lots of different resources to students, including Vet Center Counseling every few weeks, Peer Mentoring, and help finding scholarship opportunities. They do open houses, biweekly meetings and video game and movie nights. They do Ally training twice a year, a Military ball in April, and they do partnerships with the Career Center for job-seeking help and Partnerships with the Women’s Center to highlight Women Veterans. Keep track of all their events by following them on Instagram and TiTkok @UCRSTUDENTVETS, on Facebook @ UCR Student Veterans And Servicemembers.
And of course, there is also the Women’s Resource Center which can be found in room 260 and is open from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. every Monday to Friday. The WRC is an incredibly inclusive safe space for anyone to come and relax, study, make friends or network. They offer lots of resources for students, including safe sex products, menstrual products and pregnancy tests that are (like the LGBT Center) Free of Charge and Free of Questions or Judgement. They also offer school supplies, a campus safety program and a mentorship program. They stay pretty busy with 1-2 events every week, often teaming up with other programs in Costo Hall or outside Programs like Planned Parenthood. They offer self-defense classes twice a quarter and snacks during midterms and finals and they make sure all their events are accessible by making sure they’re free of charge. If you’re interested in keeping track of The Women’s Resource Center’s events, follow them on Instagram @ucrwrc.
There really is a space for everyone in Costo Hall. The Student Programs that call the building their home are genuinely some of the friendliest, most welcoming, and most passionate people on Campus. If you’re looking to get more involved with the school or your community, make new friends, or even just look for a good place to study, go check out Costo Hall and its many different Student Organizations. I guarantee you won’t regret it.
