class of 2025

Anonymous, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 03:57:11 +0000

Honestly, I do not feel represented. The Black population at UCSB is so small so if you were to take a picture of campus during passing times, there would maybe be 5 Black students amongst hundreds. People of similar races will tend to group together but they aren’t exclusionary. UCSB is a wonderful institution, but at its core, it is a PWI so the experience will be better in Black spaces. Find black spaces on camps! Whether that’s a club, sorority, fraternity, or cultural center, it will give you a sense of community that can be hard to have in a Predominantly White Institution. The best memories I have are in these spaces. I chose UCSB because I liked the location and it seemed like a respectable institution to pursue my education at. I would choose my school again because there’s no other place where I could see myself graduating from. At UCSB, there is the African Diaspora Cultural Resource Center (nicknamed the ADCRC) and the Office of Black Student Development (nicknamed the OBSD). My experiences with these resources are nothing but positive. The ADCRC presents a safe space for Black students to study and converse. The room is full of culture and is very homely. The OBSD’s whole purpose is to enrich the Black student experience at UCSB. They send out emails about internships, jobs, scholarships, and other opportunities for Black students. We have Cultural Resource Centers for most ethnic groups in the Student Resource Building and there’s the Multicultural Center where students of any culture can have a safe space to be in. Additionally, when picking housing, you can choose to live in cultural halls. There is also an LGBTQ+ house in Manzanita Village (a residence hall on campus) as well as Cultural Resource Centers in the Student Resource Building. I wish my school employed more Black faculty, staff, and professors. Also, I wish the greek life here was more diverse.

Eryn Madison, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 03:48:37 +0000

I do not feel represented in the slightest. I chose UNC since it was closer to home than my last school (Howard University) and less expensive. If given the chance when I first was applying to college, I would probably not choose it again. It is cliquey, and it’s not just among the races like white and black but the black people are pretty cliquey as well (Africans vs African Americans). We have the Black Student Union, which I am a part of; the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center, a space for Black students to connect and build relationships; African Students United, a space for African students to connect; Black Women of today, a club designed to uplift the voices of black women on campus; and many other organizations. The support I receive on campus as a Black individual is through the organizations I listed above, not from the school itself. UNC seems to only really speak out if something major happens, we’ve had some racial slurs graffitied on campus before and the school sent out an email to students. Other than that, that’s about it. I wish they took more action and spoke out more about things that the black community deals with, not just a simple post or banner change during black history month. However, the school is very supportive when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community as well as women and disabled students. If you are a prospective student: really do your research and maybe try to do a campus visit before committing to a school. Also, if you are someone like me who is coming from predominantly black or minority spaces, be prepared for a big culture shock coming to a PWI. Be secure in who you are as a person and the values you have. Don’t be discouraged to go to a PWI! School is what you make it out to be, even though there might not be a lot of people that look like you on campus, as long as you go through each day with a positive mindset, it will turn out amazingly!

Jamar Thomas, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 03:22:11 +0000

It is not really cliquey. There are no resources, although, there is a diversity center where we have our own space. At least to my assumption, Ripon is very progressive. I feel represented. Continue to be black unapologetically! Things are gonna be rough because of the ‘setbacks’ our people have endured but don’t let that knock you over.

Anonymous, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 04:20:11 +0000

It can be hard times just being a black student in a predominantly white institution. But there are people who want to know your story. May as well talk about it. You may think people don’t want to know your story, but people do. You have a voice. Use it. Also, there will be a community of people who supports you and others like you. It will take time to transition, but it is worth it in the end. Because we are here to grow and learn from one another. Just to let you know that you are not alone. Mesa is a huge help because we can find the resources we need or find someone who gets it. It is nice that I am not alone. We are supported by a bunch of organizations partnering up. Also, if you want to create something for students of color you can create it yourself. I wish UWGB would have the connection for students of color and people who are not around POC to have a conversation even if it is hard. Whether or not I feel represented depends on the day. For prospective students: Use your resources. You are not alone in the world. It will take time but your people are out there. Find allies who support you and your dreams. Have mentors and network your way to achieve your goal.

Anonymous, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 19:43:09 +0000

It is cliquey from the outside looking in, it is not like in sports and classes. When you actually attend you can see those in certain clubs for their ethnic clubs hang out with them more than trying to associate with others. Being a PWI, there are more of them than minorities, it’s more about finding your people and trying to fit in. We have the Black Student Organization and its advisors who are there to help with adjusting or simply to talk to. They’ve allowed us to have Ethnic/Race based organizations and small separate events explaining our cultures or things that originated in that particular society as well as to help us understand our own identities. Though there are few events like that, they try. Valpo could improve by just adding more minorities and students of color. It’s likely that Valpo will remain a PWI based on its location, but enrolling more students of color, it’ll make more stay and appreciate Valpo’s inclusion and diversity. In areas, I can feel represented like maybe one black teacher at every college or at least the few I see within my college. Within the university as a whole, because people are cliquish they aren’t always so welcoming for newer members outside of the organization. It’s basically trying to find your own comfort zone without looking at the other’s race. In short, I occasionally feel represented, but not as often as I’d like. It might be a rude awakening if you’ve come from a predominately black neighborhood or school. The people here are really friendly and seem like they actually look out for each other. If you don’t already have a few white friends, it might be hard to assimilate and make friends but it’s possible if you’re willing to put yourself out there to have a good time. Because college is meant to be some of the best years of your life.

Phee Koenig, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 19:40:13 +0000

We are segregated for the most part, but by choice, not by force. There are resources for Black students, but I have no experience personally. They have many outreach programs, POC-specific safe groups, and many POC employees who are always willing to help, talk, discuss, etc. Any support I could want is already available. College of Charleston is absolutely supportive of students of color, women, LGBTQ+, disabled, etc. Supportive and inclusive to the highest degree. I feel represented.

Anonymous, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 19:39:00 +0000

At my school, a lot of the upperclassman minorities feel entitled and like they don’t have to be nice to us freshmen. It’s kind of discouraging because at the end of the day we go to a PWI and we should be uplifting each other, but they continue to separate us at every event they hold. It’s kind of annoying & kind of makes me feel like I’m alone at the school :/ Also, it is kind of segregated between races. There are resources and they are okay, depending on who you go to. The school’s support is pretty decent, but it could be better. They could actually help us, knowing we come from low-income communities they still overcharge us and find any way to take our money. Our BSU isn’t the best and it’s a bunch of power-hungry people. They don’t promote unity at all :/ They make a lot of us disappointed. I only feel a little represented. Whatever you do, wherever you go, it’s your choice! At the end of the day, make the decision for you!

Zocha, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 19:35:36 +0000

The school is not necessarily cliquey, but it is something to be aware of. The Black Student Union at South is amazing! There are many different clubs so everyone has the opportunity to find their people. Spectrum is our lgbtq+ club, BSU, ASU(Arab student Union), VSU (Vietnamese), so on and so forth. South is primarily a school for the students, but I’m not sure with the voting in of Jo Bonner (known racist and homophobe). I wish there were more scholarships specifically for black and brown folks. I very rarely feel represented seeing as South is a PWI. If you are coming to south know It’s a wonderful environment with pretty good professors. I recommend joining group chats and seeing if you click with anybody also coming to south! Having a support system is so important.

Anonymous, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:39:20 +0000

For the most part, the school is cliquey between races. I do not feel represented at all. That being said, The Village is a wonderful resource that supports black students on campus. Also, the cultural liberation center is a safe space for all BIPOC and LGBT+ people. To be honest, my advice for prospective Dominican University students: if you’re a black male, look at other options first. If you’re a black female, you might find better representation here.

Jasmine, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:34:50 +0000

It is not really cliquey, but a lot of POC choose to surround themselves when they can with people who look like them and are from the same community just because they don’t see people like them hardly ever during the day and in classes at a predominately white institution. The resources for Black students are the Black African American Cultural Center, National Society of Black Engineers, African American Studies classes, NPHC’s, black events, black faculty, Africans United, Black Students Alliance, United women of color, united men of color. I wish CSU had more black students, black faculty, and black studies classes. I feel a little represented at CSU. You have to know that you belong anywhere and everywhere you choose to go as exactly who you are and it will be hard, but you have to hold on to that.