Prentice Ashford was appointed as the new director of the Office for Multicultural Enrichment.

OME advises and oversees campus groups like Black Students’ Association, Hispanos Unidos, Sanctify Hip Hop Company, SHADES Step Squad and Virtuous Sisterhood. Though students lead the groups, Ashford will be the director of those students.

“What we want to accomplish for students is by the time of graduation, the students will be equipped with the knowledge and experience to be active, productive and vocal leaders in their diverse communities,” Ashford said. “We really like to, in those groups, give them the platform and opportunity to engage in conversation with people they don’t normally meet on a day-to-day basis.”

Ashford, an ACU graduate, has ties to the community that he believes will benefit him in this new position.

“I’m coming from a place where I know what the students want and what the students need,” Ashford said. “I think I can really relate from that perspective.”

Ashford is also the director of Pulse, an on-campus scholarship program. He will seek to move Pulse from Dr. McCaleb’s office into the OME office so there is limited confusion with students.

Aside from the shift of existing staff within Student Life, there are no other perceived personnel changes or major changes other than the location change for Pulse meetings.

Rodney Johnson, Students’ Association president, worked in OME under two different directors and was led by Prentice in Pulse for two years. He thinks Ashford’s degree in family studies will benefit the group.

“That shows his relational aspect,” said Johnson. “He’ll be able to mediate to the students.”

Johnson, a senior marketing major from Odessa, also thinks Ashford has other qualities to offer as an ACU student who graduated only two years ago.

“He’s also well-rounded and can do the business side of it,” Johnson said. “Not only does he have all those qualifications, he has a fresh student perspective. They couldn’t have found anybody better.”