Established in 2006, by David Swartz, first US Ambassador to Belarus and a graduate of Southwestern, the Center is the only one of its kind in the United States.

Focused exclusively on the country of Belarus, a former Soviet bloc state that gained independence in 1991, the Center's mission is to facilitate the revival of the Belarus nation and people through higher education.  The Center is intended to function as the focal point for Belarusian studies in the United States, bringing together scholars, students, individuals, organizations, universities, libraries, and governments committed to development of democratic Belarus.  This dovetails with the mission of Southwestern College at large: Leadership through service in a world without boundaries.