Starting fall 2027, CSUN students will have a new space designed to bring academic support, identity-based programs and research opportunities under one roof.
The Matador Success and Inclusion Center (MSIC), a three-story facility located on East University Drive, next to the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center, the Valera Nest and the University Student Union, will house several campus programs focused on student success and community engagement. University leaders said the building will centralize resources that are currently spread across campus while creating new opportunities for students.
“Student success is beyond a metric of retention. It really is understanding our students where they are holistically,” said Interim Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Equity and Inclusion Freddie Sánchez.
Sánchez added that it’s important for students to learn to advocate for their needs, discover available resources and empower themselves to navigate their circumstances in ways that help them grow.
The planning process for the center included input from the campus community, with a 2021 study in which hundreds of individuals participated and provided feedback on what they wanted to see in the building.
On the first floor of the building, students will find five identity-based resource programs: the Black & African Diaspora Center, the Pacific Islander & Desi American (APIDA) Resource Center, the Latinx/a/o Resource Center, the American Indian Resource Center and the Southwest Asian & North African (SWANA) Center.
The second floor will include the Community and High Impact Practices centers, which connect students with undergraduate research opportunities and community engagement programs. The facility will also house the Ethical Center for Search, Activism and Community Empowerment (RACE).
The new facility will provide a permanent space for athletic academic support services, coaches, athletes and athletic departments, which have operated “in a temporary space for 20 years,” according to Ken Rosenthal, associate vice president of facilities developments and operations.
Construction began in November 2025 and is expected to be complete in the summer of 2027. The building will include collaborative spaces, meeting rooms and multipurpose spaces designed to support students.
According to Edith Winterhalter, associate vice president for budget and strategic business operations, the project will be funded through several sources, including $48.8 million in campus funds previously set aside for infrastructure projects. An additional $3 million comes from the university corporation, $6 million from designated donations and $4.5 million from an internal loan from the CSUN Foundation.
“We want people to really be at awe in this new facility that’s made for students, that will allow them to engage culturally [in] culturally affirming practices, that will allow them to build community amongst communities of difference,” said Sánchez. “The ultimate part is that our students are finding comfort and that they do belong on this campus.”
