Black Student Centre
91ÅÝܽ (SFU) is establishing a Black Student Centre (BSC) dedicated to providing permanent, culturally appropriate, and identity-affirming support services for Black-identifying students at SFU’s three campuses in Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver. The BSC aims to cultivate a safe and thriving environment for Black-identifying undergraduate and graduate students of diverse backgrounds and identities at the university. This centre will become a source of support, community and connection for SFU’s diverse Black community. 
The BSC will be located in the Maggie Benston Centre (MBC), at SFU's Burnaby Campus on Burnaby Mountain. Once operational, the BSC will provide virtual and in-person services from Monday to Friday from 09:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you have questions about the forthcoming BSC, please email bsc_admin@sfu.ca.
Why a Black Student Centre?
Anti-Black racism is  continue to contend with.  that Black-identifying students in historically white institutions in North America face  that impact their . These challenges include, but are not limited to, daily instances of individualized micro-aggression, implicit and explicit bias, racial discrimination, and other dehumanizing practices in and out of the classroom that result in the alienation and marginalization of Black-identifying students.
To address systemic and institutional racism, in Canada, including SFU, are for culturally affirming and safe environments. They recognize the importance of support systems that for Black-identifying students, enhancing their academic success and overall well-being. Some post-secondary institutions, such as the University of British Columbia, Toronto Metropolitan University, and McMaster University, have already begun this important work and created safe and welcoming  t³ó±ð  of Black-identifying students.
91ÅÝܽ the Black Student Centre
The BSC aims to provide an adaptive response to SFU's diverse Black community's urgent needs and interests by providing culturally appropriate resources that are representative of diverse cultures, intersectional identities, and Black experiences. The BSC will adopt a service approach to support students through racially and culturally sensitive services and programming.
This approach promotes healing, belonging, and connection across various areas of need by providing platforms for cultural awareness and expression, fostering cultural safety and social connectedness through accessible mental health and wellness services, and enhancing learning and academic success. Additionally, it will assist students in effectively and confidently navigating their career paths, offer leadership opportunities that inspire them to become champions of their own experiences, and connect them with their broader cultural, academic, and social communities, nurturing a sense of belonging and connection.
The BSC will uphold the principles of promoting Black flourishing and fostering inclusive excellence, as outlined in the  Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Higher Education.
The Journey So Far
The SFU Black Student Centre is the result of student-led advocacy and activism. This effort, led by the Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA) and SFU's Black Caucus, began many years ago when students lobbied for a dedicated space for Black-identifying students at SFU.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, SOCA and SFU's Black Caucus further advanced their advocacy for the establishment of a place where Black students could receive culturally appropriate and racially sensitive services that support their thriving. In 2021, SFU committed to establishing a long-term, permanent support service for Black-identifying students.
To ensure that the planning and construction process was informed by the voices and perspectives of Black-identifying students, SFU enlisted the help of architect Michelle Fenton from Khôra Architecture + Interiors and Osob Mohammed from OM Consultancy to assist with the vision and design of the BSC. Student consultations began in 2022 to explore key themes relevant to Black-identifying students. During these discussions, students highlighted essential values and principles aimed at creating an inclusive and supportive environment, allowing Black-identifying students to thrive academically and personally.
In 2024, Khôra Architecture + Interiors facilitated two additional community engagement workshops. The insights gained from this process guided the selection of a suitable space for the BSC and the space design and programming for the centre. During the fall 2025 semester, consultations with graduate and undergraduate students provided an opportunity to gather feedback on the colour scheme, fabric textures, and furniture preferences for the BSC.
This past spring, SFU welcomed Daniel Sheriff as the Black Student Centre Associate Director. Building on decades of experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors, Daniel champions the holistic well-being and success of Black-identifying students by implementing, managing, coordinating, and assessing all BSC programs and services.
Next Steps
Renovations of the BSC are underway, with the space expected to launch in February 2026. The work will include updates to three adjacent spaces within the MBC. The first space will include public, semi-public, and semi-private areas for social drop-ins and activities, community engagement events, and cultural gatherings. The second space will serve as a private setting for scheduled student-related and wellness activities, and the third space will be dedicated to private, one-on-one support services for students.