The Minnesota Women’s Center will announce the addition of a new group, Women Students of Color, on Friday at the Science Classroom Building during an informational luncheon at noon.

“We want to start a support group to help women of color improve their academic potential,” said Nina Harris, MWC staffer and head of the new group. “We want to create a unity of students of color.”

Women Students of Color was formed by two MWC staff members who will discuss at the luncheon their ideas for a professional development speaker series while beginning the process of building community among women students of color on campus, said Don Opitz, MWC interim coordinator.

The group’s main focus will be sponsoring academic workshops with speakers of different professions and ethnicities, in an effort to encourage women to enter the profession of their choice, Harris said.

Students, along with group leaders, will choose the speakers for the seminars.

“I think it might be interesting to listen to what mentors have to say about life after college,” said junior history major Pang Lee.

The MWC encourages women of all ethnicities to attend the workshops.

“What I think of career development is it forces one to rethink where your interests lie, and also about not losing yourself in the process of being in college and not losing yourself in the process of entering society,” said Rachel Adams, MWC and WSC staffer.

The seminars will also focus on time and stress management and financial aid procedures, Harris said.

“Because all of our programs at MWC are based on student initiatives, our programs for women students of color have varied from year to year and have taken on the character of the students spearheading particular programs,” Opitz said.

– Kelley Yurecko