This week’s reading has a focus on diversity. Terms such as diversity and multiculturalism are defined, giving these concepts separate identities.
As Chapter 3 explains a practical view on diversity, (distinct differences among student populations), it leads me my first question. Write about a student population in your undergrad that has a significant presence at the institution (racial/ethnic groups, religious groups, commuter students, LGBT, etc.). How and/or in what effect did this population shape the atmosphere of the campus (Did they have an organization, a building on their behalf? Did they spread awareness of their being to the campus community?)
Chapter 19 gives way to diversity in a theoretical form, introducing multiculturalism as “a state of being in which an individual feels comfortable and communicates effectively with people from any culture, in any situation, because he or she has developed the necessary knowledge and skills to do so.” In essence, it represents a level of awareness that people have of the world surrounding them. Using Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model, write about a student, a friend or loved one who is in one of the three stages. What experience inspired them to reach a level of awareness? If they sought knowledge, what resources did they use to obtain it? How are they applying their experience into daily action?
Conversations on diversity are ongoing as they should be. I look forward to reading your responses.
-At Rutgers, the campus is split into five smaller campuses (as Rochelly and I explained in our presentation for Ecology). One the campus that we lived on, there was a strong Jewish population. There were a number of resources that catered to this community, ranging from daily kosher meals to organizations such as “Rutgers Hillel” and “Cha’bad House.” The latter, in fact, hosted the daily kosher meals. However, on Fridays, the main dining hall would have a dinner for the Jewish students in honoring their Sabbath. To expose non-Jews to these experiences, the students would invite their friends to have dinner with them regularly. In addition, many students identifying within the Jewish religion and culture were very engaged on campus as their organizations would advertise birthright trips to Israel as well as putting on events that brought awareness to the Rutgers community about Judaism. For me, even as a Christian, it gave me an appreciation for the Jewish population as they were very active.
-One of my best friends here in Tampa, a white male, is originally from the Rockies. He moved to the Midwest when he was 6 or 7 and was about 12 when he moved to Florida. For 12 years of his life, he lived in two homogenized societies. Everyone that he saw looked very similar to him as his experiences with other racial groups was very limited. Once he got to Florida, on the other hand, he discovered “black people” as he likes to say. That instance opened his eyes to world beyond what he ever experience which allowed him to gain awareness of the different people around him. With him, he is what I like to consider a special case as he became immersed in the black culture (the music, the clothing, the word lingo). Because of this exposure, he started to recognize other racial/ethnic groups and get to know more about their culture as well. In the end, his experiences have allowed him to connect with and somewhat understand diverse groups of people as he worked in Residence Life and Orientation during undergrad. Currently, he uses those experiences in the workforces as well as campus ministry.
Saint Leo was an extremely diverse campus. We had various multicultural organizations that made up a large percentage of student org population. One of the coolest things done at Saint Leo was a tradition for our incoming students from another country. During matriculation, students from different countries would walk in carrying their respective country’s flag. Before we built our new student community center we had what was called the McDonald Center and those flags would be displayed in the dining hall in that building. Going back to student organizations, there was a limitation because we are a Catholic institution. Students were not allowed to start any LGBT groups on campus. This caused some rifts in the campus community because it affected not only some of the student population but some of the faculty as well.
One student population that stood out to me as an undergraduate were the many and various religious groups. There are several different Christian organizations. They hold bible studies, social events, religious sessions on their own but often advertise & include the entire university in their events. They also participate in UFS events, such as SOS by signing up as a group. Several years ago, there was the Quina movement which was an initiative by a Christian group to raise awareness of their organization & Christian beliefs.
One of my friends from undergraduate (she has since graduated and moved away) is, in my opinion, "stuck" at the awareness level. She is a lesbian and strongly advocates for gender & women's rights. However, I feel that in her efforts to raise awareness about these rights, she has lost the ability to see the greater picture. She does not see other cultures which may conflict with her LGBT culture as valid or relevant.
At the University of South Florida, the historically African American fraternities and sororities was a student population that had a significant presence on campus. These organizations made a huge impact on the university above and beyond the social atmosphere. These organizations provided community service opportunities, educational opportunities, and was the leading advocate for not just the constituents of the USF community but the Tampa Bay community as well. These organizations were able to further spread their awareness on campus by being actively involved in almost every facet of USF such as student government, freshmen orientation, Homecoming, the Black Emphasis Month Committee, the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, athletics, and many more.
My half-brother recently joined the U.S. Air Force a few years back. Upon completion of his training he was shipped to Germany, where he currently resides. This was a complete culture shock for him because he grew up primarily around African American’s and never encountered Germans, or another country in that matter. Soon as he was shipped over there, he immediately had to adapt and become of the new culture and lifestyle in Germany. Upon conversation with him, he tells me how the cultural is a lot difference then that of America and how it was hard for him to adapt. However, whenever we talk now I can tell that he is beginning to pick up the culture and skill of German culture because I can start to hear a German accent in his voice when he speaks and he is starting to eat and adapt to the types of food and music over there (lol). I think it’s really interesting how one is able to develop and undergo Pederson’s Multicultural Development Model at such a rapid rate when place in a diverse atmosphere.
At the College of New Jersey, individuals from various Asian countries comprised a significant portion of the population on campus. Their organization, the Asian American Association (AAA) was a really active force on campus. They held an Asian Talent show each spring that you had to buy tickets for weeks in advance if you wanted to go, and each semester they would have an Asian buffet in the student center for $3. The line would be out the door an hour before the scheduled start time. The organization was also very active in the community. It was really nice to see people from all walks of life getting involved in these events and learning about another culture.
I'm actually going to pick myself for the second question. I was born and raised in an extremely homogeneous community; however, I was aware there were other cultures and people out there and I was curious. When I went away to college, my friend group began to expand and I moved into the knowledge category where I began learning about other cultures and backgrounds from these individuals. Studying abroad my junior year, and subsequent travels have helped move me towards the skill category. I feel like it's hard to be completely in the skill category unless you've lived in every country of the world for a significant amount of time. It's a continuous learning and growing process and one that I'm looking forward to continuing here at USF.
At Eastern Connecticut State University a student organization called M.A.L.E.S. (Men Achieving Leaderships Excellence and Success) had a strong presence on campus. Although Eastern doesn't have Greek life, M.A.L.E.S is a nationally known organization that provided a brotherhood for men on campus.The group was predominately African American but was open to all students (females could join if they wanted to, but that was rare). The organization was known for civic engagement,hosting large events like dance competitions, Women's Appreciation dinners where they recognized a student and staff member they felt exemplified leadership and excellence, and creating a scholarship for a student at the local public high school. M.A.L.E.S created different social experiences for students and gave many students something to look forward to throughout the semester.
One of my friends back in Connecticut moves back and forth between knowledge and skill stage. Like Andrea mentioned, the process is non stop. My friend lives to learn about different cultures and he does so by traveling internationally and really emerging himself for months at a time.
There are two populations that stick out to me from Bridgewater State University. The first is the commuter students. They make up 66% of the student body and because of that not only have a Commuter Services office, but also there is the Commuter Students Association and the Commuter Cafeteria. It is clear there is a stong presence for commuter students, but although they make up 66% of the students, the school still focuses on helping those students be engaged outside of the classroom and make connections to the campus. The other population is the Cape Verdean population. The president of BSU is Cape Verdean and there is a strong Cape Verdean population in Southeastern Massachusetts in general. He has created a partnership with the University of Cape Verde. In addition, there is a strong student organisation, the Cape Verdean Student Association.
Ther person that came to mind for Pedersen's Multicultural Development Model is a close friend from childhood. She and I had similar experience in a homogeneous community growing up. She attended a small catholic college but she studied abroad in Jamaica for a semester and since then has immersed herself in different cultures through her work with the homeless population in Massachusetts. Because of this, I think she is in the Skill stage. Like Andrea said, it is an ongoing process as she becomes aware of different cultures but she knows how to act appropriately and effectively with many types of people.
At USF, we have what are called LARPERS Live Action Role Players. They are a group of people with soft swords and other weapons. They role play battles and are commonly seen in the large grassy areas of campus in front of beef’s or castor hall. Most of the time at night. They have been featured in the oracle many times and are known by most of the student body simply because they are outside playing a lot. I know of a few folks who have become Orientation Team Leaders. Many begin shy or more introverted, but by then end of the summer they are super confident and very outgoing. This happens because of the leadership expectation during orientation, and the need for them to become outgoing to do well at their position.
The organization that immediately jumps out in my memory is the Black Cultural Center, which constructed a new building while I was an undergraduate. This construction gave them such a presence because the location was on one of the busiest intersections of pedestrian traffic on campus. Most of the residence hall students had to walk by their building or anyone walking from campus to the gym would do so as well. Once the building was completed, the BCC was able to host a variety of events including speakers, dance troupes, art exhibitions, etc. It was marketed to the entire campus as a place to visit and had a library and computer lab available as well. I also believe it served as a central information point for many other organizations on campus to promote events and activities that either catered to the African-American student population or ones that were looking to include this population.
I, like Andrea, will also pick myself for the second question. I was raised in an extremely homogeneous community as well - picture rural Minnesota, 99% White, 99% Lutheran and Catholic. I was always aware of other cultures growing up but never had an opportunity to have any sort of lasting interaction with anyone outside of where I was raised. During college I definitely gained more knowledge of other cultures, but even on campus organizations tended to be somewhat segregated from each other and only worked with organizations that were similar. It wasn't until I moved to a big city after college where I feel I truly gained knowledge through experience about other cultures. However, having gone over 20 years living and experiencing a homogeneous society I feel there are many basic things I do not know to this day that others who were raised in an urban or even suburban environment regard as basic knowledge of other cultures.
A population that made a significance at my undergraduate studies at University of West Florida was inter-racial couples. In that specific part of the community (Pensacola,FL) inter-racial couples were not accepted as well as they are in other parts of the world. With that being noticed there was a sense of rebellion among the youth and especially among the college age students.The atmosphere got really bad in the community. Violence and crimes were committed on the university campus due to this situation.
For the Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model, I would like to use my self. I grew up in a very diverse community. When I went away to college in Pensacola to UWF, at first I felt uncomfortable. UWF is a predominantly white school. However, once I got there met the people, everyone was nice. Fortunately , it was a great experience for myself. I learned that there was no reason to be uncomfortable and eventually it peeked my interest in other cultures!
At USF l I think the group that have the a large presence are cultural fraternities and sororities like Greg mentioned above. They offer many different social activities on campus and they are largely represented at the many community outreach events on campus.
As for the Pedersen's Multicultural Development Model, I would have to use myself like Taklyah. However, mine is the opposite situation, I came from a very non-diverse community. My high school was almost completely comprised of white students with a only about 10 students of different races total. When I came to USF I found this totally different of corse. I have found a great interest in different cultures this lead me to many different adventures including; backpacking through Europe, and studying abroad in Spain. I would definitely say I have moved through the different stages.
The BIGGEST event on campus at Georgetown was a show put on by the South Asian Society, known as "Rangila". It comprised of dances, songs, skits, comedy and fashion shows put on by a few Indian students and 300+ students from the rest of the student body. The dances were the best part. There was a dance put on to exhibit every major type of Indian music. The time and effort put into each dance created bonds and friendly rivalry between dance number groups. Kids looked forward to joining, and depending on their class year, were able to get involved in more complex dance numbers. It was a huge event that had the whole student body talking about it. It was SO fun to watch and cheer all your schoolmates in gorgeous saris, dancing to the cadence beats of Indian music. Everyone had a friend who was either planning or dancing in the show. This event allowed students of all ethnic backgrounds to take part in a truly colorful cultural experience. The show gave all Georgetown students a common event to rally around and support. Rangila definitely fostered an open-minded mentality on-campus, as the show drew thousands of watchers and performers, all partaking in the celebration of a culture different from their own. Here's a small idea of what's involved in Rangila (btw, watching this reminded me just how much fun it was to look forward to Rangila each year!! I hope you can enjoy it, too! :D): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un4pxJGCLdQ&feature=related While waiting in those long lines for tickets, the dancers would entertain us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Pg4o83r5U&feature=related
A good friend of mine is a great example of Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model. As an American, White man of German decent, he never knew anything outside the good ol’ U. S. of A. In college, he took Arabic classes, Islamic studies courses, and travelled abroad to the Middle East. He lived in Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, in a matter of years. He completed his Fulbright in Egypt and met the locals in Turkey. His sharp ear for languages aided him in acquiring knowledge to the degree of near proficiency. In fact, often on one of his treks eastward, he is mistaken for “Syrian”, “Jordanian”, and “Egyptian”. He has immersed himself so much in the culture and language that he effectively critiques Arabic journals professionally now. In my estimation, he has properly reached Pedersen’s “skill” level, as he has most definitely learned “…how to interact appropriately and effectively with persons from other cultures. Individuals in this stage learn to identify appropriate actions that will allow them to be accepted by persons from different cultures.”
At DePaul, an office that has a strong presence on campus was University Ministry. This office hosts most of the religious and service student organizations, which are very important to the student population. Among these groups was the community service association, which attracted all kinds of students. DePaul prides itself in being diverse, and this organization is proof of that. The group performs various types of service all over the city and participates in peer-lead reflections after each visit. This encompasses DePaul’s mission and introduces many students to it through physical service. In my experience, this group did not have to advertise much, as students always found it when looking for ways to fulfill service hours, service learning credit, or just to volunteer.
The individual I am thinking of is in the “knowledge” stage. I believe she reached the stage of awareness by being open to her surroundings and being wise beyond her years. I was able to share the “knowledge” I gained in college with her, and I believe this lead her on her own path. She demonstrated this by being accepting of certain lifestyles that were not accepted in her personal family. She has friends of many different cultures while still remaining proud of her own heritage. I can easily see her moving to the skill stage once she branches out further from her homogeneous community.
At K-State, about 70% of the student population is white, which obviously impacts the atmosphere. But looking back at my experience, I have come to realize the impact that the historically black fraternities and sororities have made on our campus. Every year for the last 6 years, the undergraduate enrollment of African-American students has increased, and among other contributing factors, these fraternities and sororities are a huge reason why. The organizations have shown prospective students that they can find their home on campus and many of the members have even taken student jobs in student invovlement, admissions, and student government. K-State Black Student Union was even named best in the Big 12 again this year. The success of these organizations has led to growth - not only for their own fraternities and sororities - but for the entire university as a whole.
In my time as an Admissions Representative at K-State, we were constantly pushing to recruit more students of different races, ethnicities, etc. (this itself could be an entire conversation). Because of this, we were in an environment where we had one big office full of employees who shared different responsibilities. We had a recruiter for Western Kansas (largely farming families who will not go to a 4-year college) in the same office as our multicultural recruiter (mostly metro and inner city schools) and our hispanic-speaking recruiter. The Admissions Representative for Western Kansas always saw office time as an opportunity to absorb. I would argue that prior to his time in this role, however, he only concerned himself with "White" but after starting the job, he hit the "Awareness" stage and has since engulfed himself in everything there is to learn about the other cultures he's been exposed to. It really is amazing to see how far he's come. I wouldn't call him "multicultural" by this definition just yet, but he's getting there for sure.
1.The Muslim community has a relatively large presence at the USF Tampa campus. This cultural group has changed the overall dynamic of the campus in many ways. Naturally, the mere presence of these individuals on campus helps foster a sense of religious and cultural diversity. While anti-Muslim rants and attacks have increased across the United States, this has never been the case at the University of South Florida—most likely due to the college’s longstanding acceptance and tolerance of different cultural groups. These students have made themselves known on campus through their clothing, food, language, and social functions. One of social function involves the offering of different types of food to students. This allows students to sample food that is different from their usual happenstance. This eventually led to conversations, the exchanging of cultural information, and discussions about Islam.
2. A good friend of mine would definitely be in the Skill stage. She has a good amount of understanding of different cultures, and is open to all. She eventually got to this point by opening herself up to new ideas, following the tenets of her faith (she’s a Baha’i), and practicing the art of just being nice. She likes to meet people from different faiths and cultural backgrounds. Also, when possible, she enjoys trying new types of food.
The African American population stood out to me most at FSU. The multicultural fraternity and sorority life was very big on campus. We would have market Wednesday's every week in the union. Every African American fraternity and sorority would perform step routines in the middle of the union and would draw a huge crowd. They also did a lot of community service. In my opinion, it seemed like they were all a big family because they knew each other very well.
The friend that came to mind after I read the Pedersen's Model was a close friend from back home. I am from a small town on the east coast of Florida called Merritt Island (near Cocoa Beach). She didn't have the finances to go to college right after high school and chose to go to the local community college. I believe that she is only in the "awareness" stage because she has not yet experienced life outside of home. However, she is transferring to USF this spring semester, which will definitely open her eyes up to diversity.
A student population at USF that had a large presence on campus was Christian organizations, just as Emily said. As a resident assistant I saw these groups hold events near the residence and dining halls that had a large turnout. These organizations also were at the RA resource events held at the beginning of the year to promote their events for students in the residence halls.
Using Pedersen’s multicultural development model my friend I met freshman year would be at the knowledge level. She grew up in a small, homogeneous town in upstate New York and had the opportunity to meet new people and experience different cultures here at USF.
A student population that has made a large impact on campus at the University of South Florida are Greeks. Fraternities and Sorority life during my undergraduate years was very popular. The more I got involved in different departments at USF the more I saw how many people were Greek. It just happened to be the most active people in SG, CSI, and throughout campus happened to belong to a fraternity or sorority. The biggest impacts I see Greeks having on people is pushing people to do service. USF has many community service events throughout the year and Greeks do their best to promote these events and get people to sign up. It could be said that almost every Greek organization believes in performing service, and here at USF they make it known.
I had a friend, male, 19-year-old Hispanic, who decided to do Study Abroad in Paris. He's never been to that part of the world before, but wanted to become aware of what else is in the world. He took the initiative to explore regions and cultures he knew little about and gain knowledge about them. He developed skills by the end of the program by understanding the reasons people act the way they act and learn some different languages. He wanted to seek out something new and used his resources at his university to get this accomplished.
These responses have been "on point" so far. They also have been interesting to read. I would have never guessed the amount of you all that are from homogeneous communities. With that, the individuals that most of you cited are the ones that, in my opinion, help to shape the Pedersen Multicultural Model. Their experiences of being exposed to diverse communities for the first time and embracing them give this model some validity. Keep the responses coming!
Looking back at my undergrad, I found myself drawn to the football team as an influential and significant presence on campus. Coming to FSU I had a “dumb jock” stereo-type in mind for the football players. The media face of the team was Deion Sanders and he seemed to relish playing this role. After spending time on campus, I quickly recognized that he was the exception. Many of the guys were involved in campus activities and community service projects outside of their football responsibilities. They were a very visible part of the campus, and many of them were also terrific additions to the student body for other strengths. As far as ranking a loved one of the Pederson model, I have to use my wife. She has moved through the model from awareness to skill. She grew up in a small town in upstate New York that offered very little diversity. She took Spanish language classes and did a study abroad semester in Argentina. She became so immersed in the experience that she went back and lived there for several years. The perspective gained from living in a foreign country has allowed her to maintain a perspective on world events that is much different than mine. She continues to use these skills and maintains close relationships with friends that have moved to other countries.
Coming from USF the population that stood out to me the most was the Muslim population similar to what Chance said earlier. I found it interesting in the wake of September 11th and the war with Iraq to attend a university where the religion was so openly celebrated. I often times found myself in conflict with myself and others from my high school who had misguided views of people originating from the Middle East. I also thought it was interesting to see the creation of the "serenity room" in the Marshall Student Center. I worked for Mr. Conway when he was lobbying to add this multicultural room to our center and it was interesting to see both the support and challenges with attempting to implement this idea.
At my previous position at USF I found myself working with one student often to help overcome the challenges of diversity on campus. This student went through the cultural changes outlined by the Development of Intercultural Sensitivity model. Coming from a very low tolerance community the transition to a large diverse population such as USF was a struggle. I found myself working with him to gradually increase his acceptance towards other backgrounds and come to appreciate the experiences of others. The Development model worked in this instance because he had committed to the university and was willing to take a longer amount of time to adjust to his new surroundings.
The University of Florida's Black Student Union was a major organization on campus. They have a huge budget, host one of the biggest Black History Month celebrations of any college campus, and hosts the biggest Step Show in the country (or the region, I'm pretty sure it's the country. ) One thing that shocked me when I went to college was how much diversity there is among Black people/within the Black culture. I was born and raised on the South side of Chicago. My parents are both from Chicago, and their parents are American born and raised as well. I was struck by how different the cultures of the other Black people--Haitians, Jamaican, Cubans--were. The same is true for the diversity within other groups. "Asians" include people from India, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Japan. They all have unique cultures and customs. While some things are the same, some of them are TOTALLY different. Likewise with "Hispanics." People from Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Chile are so different. We need to be cognizant of the diversity within groups moving forward as SA professionals and good people in general.
Interacting with people who are in the earlier stages of Pedersen's development model can be very frustrating for those who are committed to multiculturalism and truly understanding diversity in all of its forms. I think it's important that when we encounter those individuals who have not evolved to a greater understanding of diversity we challenge the assumptions they bring to the table. Allowing misguided/incorrect beliefs (whether full-blown ethnocentrism or more subtle "we're all the same-all part of the human race")to persist in our circles is just as bad as subscribing to them ourselves. As SA professionals, we all have to do our part to "Walk the Talk."
SIU has a large population of non-traditional students and students with disbilities. We have both of these because our school is highly populated with veterans(mostly marines). Our disabled veteras have specials programs and extra help groups that they can attend. We have two orgazinations for veterans that they can become a part of. The veterans that I came into contact with did not spread their word right away. It was in you taking the time to get to know them that you really were able to learn and appreciate when they came from. I had several people in my classes who went to Iraq and Afganistan for several tours and even one guy who I graduated with was blown up. They are pretty kept to themselves though, they don't like special priveldges or to make a scene. I think in our major it is important for everyone to be open minded to different peoples views and opinions on things. If students feel they can't talk to us about anything, we are not doing out jobs very well.
A kid that comes to mind when I read these stages is a guy I officiated with. He was a white kid who was from a very white farm town. Reffing basketball was something he did before, but reffing basketball for different races is not something we was familiar with. Through the season he was getting better but I still think he is in the awareness stage. He definately fits into the white person with no culture profile because he has never been surrounded by any other culture.
A population on campus that has a significant presence on campus are the Fraternities and Sororities. I always felt that no matter where they were, people knew this certain band of people belonged to a group. Usually branded by their fraternity or sorority letters, they came to be known. No matter if more geared towards partying, involving themselves in collegiate life, or pressing towards academic success, they made themselves known. Everyone on the USF campus knows at the end of Holly to the left is Greek Life, and that is where “They” dwell on campus. It’s almost like a world of its own, with its own facilities, pool, houses, and modern utilities. Another way they made themselves known were the hundreds of signs that were staked all through campus advertising the different options one could choose from. Rush week is their week, the week that both the frats and sororities sell their organizations, in order to gather more people who want to join. They are obviously of some stature on campus and this is what establishes their presence on campus.
Working with the Men’s Soccer team in Athletics there are many cultures that I am exposed to. I am also witness to other people being exposed to the different cultures that now surround them as well. I have one athlete (not mentioning a name) that I believe is in the awareness stage. Coming from a very sheltered background, he was not exposed to many other cultures other than the “White Culture” Pedersen describes. Being a freshman this year, he has been thrown into a team that is a melting pot in it’s own right. At first he would ask questions about why some of the people would do certain things, certain aspects of their everyday life he would question. Soon he seemed to come to almost an understanding, these are just everyday values, and ways of life. This awareness has helped him in the social aspect of the situation, and him not questioning has helped build more friendships.
One group in particular that was very present on Rockford College's campus was the athletic population. Over 80% of residential students were involved with an athletic team, and they maintained that collegiate mentality. Because of this commonality of athletics between students, there was a special bond within the residential athletic students. They were seeing each other in classes, in the residence halls, and at random time between practices, training room and attending/supporting each other during athletic events. The support and bond was something that I fit into and made me feel like I found a home and a group at my undergrad that I could relate to.
I think one person that come to mind is my younger brother, who is now a sophomore in college. He attends a small, private midwestern college that is known for its success in academics and community service. Upon his arrival at his institution, he was naturally introduced to many different people, and forced to experience the orientation process. Being that I am very interested in what other schools are doing in student affairs, I would speak with him frequently about his experiences. The one thing that stick out in my mind, for his awareness stage, is that his comment of meeting people he would not normally have talked to. Through the process of orientation, he was forced to step out of his shell and be open to other people. As a first-year in a new place, you tend to cling to anyone you get to know, so you feel comfortable. He was excited that he has the opportunity to develop and interact with people that are different form him. It is exciting to watch him progress through these stages.
Corey, I think these questions are fantastic and I am glad that you pointed out the Jewish community at Rutgers. One of my best friends/sorority sisters would take me to Hillel every so often for dinner and that helped me gain a greater understanding of the Jewish community at Rutgers.
One specific group that I would like to focus on is the racial/ethnic population. Rutgers had an incredibly diverse population. The Latino/Black community made a huge cultural impact on the Rutgers community. There are approx 58 Latino/historically Black/Asian/Multicultural Greek organizations on campus as well as special interest sections within the residence halls such as Latin Images and Paul Robeson. We also had the CLAC (Center for Latino arts and culture) and the Paul Robeson cultural center. It was very rare to NOT see many of these organizations outside of the cultural centers doing community service, throwing programs, and representing their community. The majority of their programs focused on culture, education, and philanthropy. They made a huge impact on my collegiate experience as well as to many others.
A great example for the second question is my Jewish friend that I mentioned above. She lives in the upper east side of NYC, which for those who don't know is a very rich side of the city. She lives in a predominately white/Jewish area. When she got to Rutgers, she told me that I was her first "Hispanic" friend. A year later she started dating a Cuban guy that she met in class. She often came to me for advice on their relationship because she didn't understand why his family acted in certain ways, or why they did things so differently, or why he felt so strongly about certain things. It was hard for her to understand that his culture was much different than hers. I started bringing her to my family functions and had her meet my family so that she could relate more to her boyfriends family. She was in shock at how different things were with my family and her family. She later told me that she gained more of an understanding for the Latino culture and deeply appreciates it and is able to appreciate her boyfriends family a lot more. I must agree with Andrea and Monica. I think its an ongoing process. We are all constantly learning about new people and cultures everyday but by learning about new people and those experiences is what really helps us gain a better understanding, which is the case with my friend.
Corey, I think these questions are fantastic and I am glad that you pointed out the Jewish community at Rutgers. One of my best friends/sorority sisters would take me to Hillel every so often for dinner and that helped me gain a greater understanding of the Jewish community at Rutgers.
One specific group that I would like to focus on is the racial/ethnic population. Rutgers had an incredibly diverse population. The Latino/Black community made a huge cultural impact on the Rutgers community. There are approx 58 Latino/historically Black/Asian/Multicultural Greek organizations on campus as well as special interest sections within the residence halls such as Latin Images and Paul Robeson. We also had the CLAC (Center for Latino arts and culture) and the Paul Robeson cultural center. It was very rare to NOT see many of these organizations outside of the cultural centers doing community service, throwing programs, and representing their community. The majority of their programs focused on culture, education, and philanthropy. They made a huge impact on my collegiate experience as well as to many others.
A great example for the second question is my Jewish friend that I mentioned above. She lives in the upper east side of NYC, which for those who don't know is a very rich side of the city. She lives in a predominately white/Jewish area. When she got to Rutgers, she told me that I was her first "Hispanic" friend. A year later she started dating a Cuban guy that she met in class. She often came to me for advice on their relationship because she didn't understand why his family acted in certain ways, or why they did things so differently, or why he felt so strongly about certain things. It was hard for her to understand that his culture was much different than hers. I started bringing her to my family functions and had her meet my family so that she could relate more to her boyfriends family. She was in shock at how different things were with my family and her family. She later told me that she gained more of an understanding for the Latino culture and deeply appreciates it and is able to appreciate her boyfriends family a lot more. I must agree with Andrea and Monica. I think its an ongoing process. We are all constantly learning about new people and cultures everyday but by learning about new people and those experiences is what really helps us gain a better understanding, which is the case with my friend.
I truly believe that every experience in life prepares us for the next experience, if we are willing to be open minded. Before I returned to USF to pursue my interests in higher education, I lived in Atlanta for a short time. While in Atlanta, I was amazed at the extreme diversity within this classic Southern city. I worked very closely with a large group of people from Morocco and Ethiopia, this was certainly not what I expected, however, I built great relationships with the kind individuals who were nothing like me. Along the way, I even learned a few words of Arabic, if I recall the number 2 is pronounced “zuish”. Now that I observe the many diverse populations and lifestyles here at USF, I appreciate all of them more because of my willingness to learn in Atlanta. As a campus tour guide here at USF, I shared the diversity aspect of our campus community with many visitors. I always made an effort to show the MLK plaza and the speech written in stone is a great reminder of our need for acceptance. I guess you could say that I am always in the “knowledge” stage of development. Thankfully I have not fallen into the comfort zones that so many non-traditional students can find themselves. I am very fortunate to have built great relationships while completing my undergrad and tried to prove that non-traditional students can bring a positive, productive, passionate approach to the campus community. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate on this campus and in the cohort.
Like Brent, the organization that stood out to me was the Black Cultural Center (the Hale Center). The center has it’s own building, the only black cultural center named after a still living person, with lots of interesting bits of history and culture inside. Though it was a Black cultural center, all students were encouraged to use the building and it’s resources. I actually took a few tours there and there were lots of things to learn from the guide and I could tell every time that he/she was very proud of what the center had to offer. Their building is also on south campus, right in the middle of most of our south campus residence halls. On warm spring days or during football season, members of the cultural center would have gatherings with music, food, etc. I do not think there was a single south campus resident who did not know about the Hale Center (and it’s parties!)
I have a friend from high school who moves back and forth between the knowledge and skill phases. He loves to travel, is a geography buff, and loves to learn about different cultures. Specifically, he does this by studying abroad and has been to South Africa, Kenya, Belarus and a number of other countries in Europe. He always comes back from these trips with incredible experiences and new world views to share with everyone else.
p.s. Dr. Miller and Jeff - sorry for being last...
One of the things I always loved about Iowa was its diversity. Even though it’s not as diverse as many schools in terms of numbers Iowa City is a lot more accepting of diversity then most towns I’ve been to. Our campus has converted four old houses into “cultural centers”; the Afro American Cultural Center, Asian Pacific American Cultural Center, Latino Native American Cultural Center, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center. It’s actually a popular Graduate Assistantship at Iowa to manage one of the houses. They do a lot of different programming throughout the year and also provide a meeting place for student organizations centered on those cultural groups. They also do a nice job providing a resource center and a safe place. All of those houses come together in February for Cultural Diversity Day and I always thought it was one of the coolest events on our campus. They have food, music, and performances from all around the world and it’s a really good chance for our cultural groups on campus to showcase their work.
My best friend at Iowa was Taiwanese (both of her parents were born there) and when I first met her she really distanced herself from a lot of the cultural organizations on campus. She wasn’t very happy about taking Chinese classes and was ecstatic about getting unlimited supplies of American food in the dinning halls. Her father passed away our sophomore year and it seemed that she immediately started becoming more invested in learning about the Taiwanese part of her heritage. She really pushed herself in Chinese classes, became president of Asian American Coalition, and taught all of our roommates how to cook Chinese and Taiwanese food. This year she is teaching English in Taiwan before hopefully starting a graduate program in English Literature next year. She is loving the experience and really proud of how much better her Chinese has gotten (the skill stage?), but also excited to get back to school next year. I think when we started college she felt like she had to pick one culture over the other, but by our second and third year she found a way to really balance both.
p.s. Caitlin I think I'm last! I was waiting for my friend to get back to me, I wanted to make sure she was okay with being blogged about ;-)
The organization that immediately comes to my mind is the NPHC sororities. I remember doing a project for one of my classes on the differences between NPC (National Panhellenic Conference) and NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council)and I remember coming the the conclusion that most of the campus was just uneducated about the other.
A lot of times, women will just go through the formal recruitment process. Maybe because their parents did, their roommates are, or because they are curious. While when researching NPHC, I found that these sororities are more focused on values-based recruitment and recruitment women that they think will be strong members. Predominately, NPC sororities are have majority of white members, and NPHC sororities have a majority of African American members.
During my research 2 years ago, I passed out a survey to my entire sorority, and the only person who had any idea about the other sororities was one of our African American members. I wonder if this is partly because of their recruitment process, or if the chapter is just uneducated on the greek community as a whole. They're really is no way to tell. Do students just join an organization where they feel a fit, and it just so happens that way that majority are blonde, or mostly all of of the same culture?
UT also has a lot of different faiths on campus, and as I said in my ecology presentation, a significant amount of people have their weddings at UT. They are currently in the process of putting up a non-denominational chapel "of faith and values" so that all students of every faith will be able to enjoy the chapel.
Another interesting thing, I cannot remember what specific college at the university enforces this but one in particular mandates all students to travel abroad. This degree requirement is to experience life in a different culture. I think that this is a truly great experience that the university requires and helps students to learn and appreciate diversity first hand.
I will have to agree with Chance. I think at USF the Muslim community is the minority community that has had the largest presence and impact on the campus. They are a dynamic community that is spread among multiple student organizations. They’ve had a pretty large impact on USF and have created many traditional multicultural events. Perhaps even more noticeable is that the Serenity Room in the Marshall Student Center was built with this community in mind (it was not built exclusively for them, but the foot bath and atmosphere of the room were built with that population in mind). The Muslim community is also very involved and participates in things like Stampede of Service and other service events. For the last several years these groups have received several grants from Student Government to produce interfaith dialogues and Islamic awareness events.
A good friend of mine would be at the skill stage of the Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model. He was originally from a small southern town with a very homogenous population. When I had first met him I didn’t know much about him, but I remember he was very overwhelmed at the diverse student body at USF. One of the populations he had not had much expose to was the GLBT community. He had a lot of misconceptions and ideas about the community that were not correct. He progressed and became friends with some in the GLBT community and eventually overcame his pre-conceived conceptions and now is an advocate for GLBT issues. It was interesting for me to observe this change in him because he helped me to overcome some of the fears and misconceptions I had about the GLBT community.
P.S. Caitlin and Alyssa, I don't think either of you are last!
I do not think there was one specific group/community that was more prevelant than others at USF. I feel that LGBT, Asian American, African American, Fraternities and Sororities were all represented well at functions and throughout campus. The melting pot of cultures and backgrounds makes USF one of the more diverse schools in the country. I find it inspiring that people can form such a unique community coming from such different walks of life.
I have known people in all three stages of pedersons model. Coming from a predominantly Hispanic high school I had a few friends attend USF at the same time. I saw the stages occur from both their perspective and people they were encountering. Some students had never been around hispanic populations before and my friends from home had never been around such a diverse environment. Over time I witnessed the Awareness, Knowledge and Skill stages happening. College is a positive experience and most people enjoy meeting and learning about new people and usually become friends.
This week’s reading has a focus on diversity. Terms such as diversity and multiculturalism are defined, giving these concepts separate identities.
ReplyDeleteAs Chapter 3 explains a practical view on diversity, (distinct differences among student populations), it leads me my first question. Write about a student population in your undergrad that has a significant presence at the institution (racial/ethnic groups, religious groups, commuter students, LGBT, etc.). How and/or in what effect did this population shape the atmosphere of the campus (Did they have an organization, a building on their behalf? Did they spread awareness of their being to the campus community?)
Chapter 19 gives way to diversity in a theoretical form, introducing multiculturalism as “a state of being in which an individual feels comfortable and communicates effectively with people from any culture, in any situation, because he or she has developed the necessary knowledge and skills to do so.” In essence, it represents a level of awareness that people have of the world surrounding them. Using Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model, write about a student, a friend or loved one who is in one of the three stages. What experience inspired them to reach a level of awareness? If they sought knowledge, what resources did they use to obtain it? How are they applying their experience into daily action?
Conversations on diversity are ongoing as they should be. I look forward to reading your responses.
-At Rutgers, the campus is split into five smaller campuses (as Rochelly and I explained in our presentation for Ecology). One the campus that we lived on, there was a strong Jewish population. There were a number of resources that catered to this community, ranging from daily kosher meals to organizations such as “Rutgers Hillel” and “Cha’bad House.” The latter, in fact, hosted the daily kosher meals. However, on Fridays, the main dining hall would have a dinner for the Jewish students in honoring their Sabbath. To expose non-Jews to these experiences, the students would invite their friends to have dinner with them regularly. In addition, many students identifying within the Jewish religion and culture were very engaged on campus as their organizations would advertise birthright trips to Israel as well as putting on events that brought awareness to the Rutgers community about Judaism. For me, even as a Christian, it gave me an appreciation for the Jewish population as they were very active.
ReplyDelete-One of my best friends here in Tampa, a white male, is originally from the Rockies. He moved to the Midwest when he was 6 or 7 and was about 12 when he moved to Florida. For 12 years of his life, he lived in two homogenized societies. Everyone that he saw looked very similar to him as his experiences with other racial groups was very limited. Once he got to Florida, on the other hand, he discovered “black people” as he likes to say. That instance opened his eyes to world beyond what he ever experience which allowed him to gain awareness of the different people around him. With him, he is what I like to consider a special case as he became immersed in the black culture (the music, the clothing, the word lingo). Because of this exposure, he started to recognize other racial/ethnic groups and get to know more about their culture as well. In the end, his experiences have allowed him to connect with and somewhat understand diverse groups of people as he worked in Residence Life and Orientation during undergrad. Currently, he uses those experiences in the workforces as well as campus ministry.
Saint Leo was an extremely diverse campus. We had various multicultural organizations that made up a large percentage of student org population. One of the coolest things done at Saint Leo was a tradition for our incoming students from another country. During matriculation, students from different countries would walk in carrying their respective country’s flag. Before we built our new student community center we had what was called the McDonald Center and those flags would be displayed in the dining hall in that building. Going back to student organizations, there was a limitation because we are a Catholic institution. Students were not allowed to start any LGBT groups on campus. This caused some rifts in the campus community because it affected not only some of the student population but some of the faculty as well.
ReplyDeleteOne student population that stood out to me as an undergraduate were the many and various religious groups. There are several different Christian organizations. They hold bible studies, social events, religious sessions on their own but often advertise & include the entire university in their events. They also participate in UFS events, such as SOS by signing up as a group. Several years ago, there was the Quina movement which was an initiative by a Christian group to raise awareness of their organization & Christian beliefs.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends from undergraduate (she has since graduated and moved away) is, in my opinion, "stuck" at the awareness level. She is a lesbian and strongly advocates for gender & women's rights. However, I feel that in her efforts to raise awareness about these rights, she has lost the ability to see the greater picture. She does not see other cultures which may conflict with her LGBT culture as valid or relevant.
At the University of South Florida, the historically African American fraternities and sororities was a student population that had a significant presence on campus. These organizations made a huge impact on the university above and beyond the social atmosphere. These organizations provided community service opportunities, educational opportunities, and was the leading advocate for not just the constituents of the USF community but the Tampa Bay community as well. These organizations were able to further spread their awareness on campus by being actively involved in almost every facet of USF such as student government, freshmen orientation, Homecoming, the Black Emphasis Month Committee, the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, athletics, and many more.
ReplyDeleteMy half-brother recently joined the U.S. Air Force a few years back. Upon completion of his training he was shipped to Germany, where he currently resides. This was a complete culture shock for him because he grew up primarily around African American’s and never encountered Germans, or another country in that matter. Soon as he was shipped over there, he immediately had to adapt and become of the new culture and lifestyle in Germany. Upon conversation with him, he tells me how the cultural is a lot difference then that of America and how it was hard for him to adapt. However, whenever we talk now I can tell that he is beginning to pick up the culture and skill of German culture because I can start to hear a German accent in his voice when he speaks and he is starting to eat and adapt to the types of food and music over there (lol). I think it’s really interesting how one is able to develop and undergo Pederson’s Multicultural Development Model at such a rapid rate when place in a diverse atmosphere.
At the College of New Jersey, individuals from various Asian countries comprised a significant portion of the population on campus. Their organization, the Asian American Association (AAA) was a really active force on campus. They held an Asian Talent show each spring that you had to buy tickets for weeks in advance if you wanted to go, and each semester they would have an Asian buffet in the student center for $3. The line would be out the door an hour before the scheduled start time. The organization was also very active in the community. It was really nice to see people from all walks of life getting involved in these events and learning about another culture.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually going to pick myself for the second question. I was born and raised in an extremely homogeneous community; however, I was aware there were other cultures and people out there and I was curious. When I went away to college, my friend group began to expand and I moved into the knowledge category where I began learning about other cultures and backgrounds from these individuals. Studying abroad my junior year, and subsequent travels have helped move me towards the skill category. I feel like it's hard to be completely in the skill category unless you've lived in every country of the world for a significant amount of time. It's a continuous learning and growing process and one that I'm looking forward to continuing here at USF.
At Eastern Connecticut State University a student organization called M.A.L.E.S. (Men Achieving Leaderships Excellence and Success) had a strong presence on campus. Although Eastern doesn't have Greek life, M.A.L.E.S is a nationally known organization that provided a brotherhood for men on campus.The group was predominately African American but was open to all students (females could join if they wanted to, but that was rare). The organization was known for civic engagement,hosting large events like dance competitions, Women's Appreciation dinners where they recognized a student and staff member they felt exemplified leadership and excellence, and creating a scholarship for a student at the local public high school. M.A.L.E.S created different social experiences for students and gave many students something to look forward to throughout the semester.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends back in Connecticut moves back and forth between knowledge and skill stage. Like Andrea mentioned, the process is non stop. My friend lives to learn about different cultures and he does so by traveling internationally and really emerging himself for months at a time.
There are two populations that stick out to me from Bridgewater State University. The first is the commuter students. They make up 66% of the student body and because of that not only have a Commuter Services office, but also there is the Commuter Students Association and the Commuter Cafeteria. It is clear there is a stong presence for commuter students, but although they make up 66% of the students, the school still focuses on helping those students be engaged outside of the classroom and make connections to the campus. The other population is the Cape Verdean population. The president of BSU is Cape Verdean and there is a strong Cape Verdean population in Southeastern Massachusetts in general. He has created a partnership with the University of Cape Verde. In addition, there is a strong student organisation, the Cape Verdean Student Association.
ReplyDeleteTher person that came to mind for Pedersen's Multicultural Development Model is a close friend from childhood. She and I had similar experience in a homogeneous community growing up. She attended a small catholic college but she studied abroad in Jamaica for a semester and since then has immersed herself in different cultures through her work with the homeless population in Massachusetts. Because of this, I think she is in the Skill stage. Like Andrea said, it is an ongoing process as she becomes aware of different cultures but she knows how to act appropriately and effectively with many types of people.
At USF, we have what are called LARPERS Live Action Role Players. They are a group of people with soft swords and other weapons. They role play battles and are commonly seen in the large grassy areas of campus in front of beef’s or castor hall. Most of the time at night. They have been featured in the oracle many times and are known by most of the student body simply because they are outside playing a lot.
ReplyDeleteI know of a few folks who have become Orientation Team Leaders. Many begin shy or more introverted, but by then end of the summer they are super confident and very outgoing. This happens because of the leadership expectation during orientation, and the need for them to become outgoing to do well at their position.
The organization that immediately jumps out in my memory is the Black Cultural Center, which constructed a new building while I was an undergraduate. This construction gave them such a presence because the location was on one of the busiest intersections of pedestrian traffic on campus. Most of the residence hall students had to walk by their building or anyone walking from campus to the gym would do so as well. Once the building was completed, the BCC was able to host a variety of events including speakers, dance troupes, art exhibitions, etc. It was marketed to the entire campus as a place to visit and had a library and computer lab available as well. I also believe it served as a central information point for many other organizations on campus to promote events and activities that either catered to the African-American student population or ones that were looking to include this population.
ReplyDeleteI, like Andrea, will also pick myself for the second question. I was raised in an extremely homogeneous community as well - picture rural Minnesota, 99% White, 99% Lutheran and Catholic. I was always aware of other cultures growing up but never had an opportunity to have any sort of lasting interaction with anyone outside of where I was raised. During college I definitely gained more knowledge of other cultures, but even on campus organizations tended to be somewhat segregated from each other and only worked with organizations that were similar. It wasn't until I moved to a big city after college where I feel I truly gained knowledge through experience about other cultures. However, having gone over 20 years living and experiencing a homogeneous society I feel there are many basic things I do not know to this day that others who were raised in an urban or even suburban environment regard as basic knowledge of other cultures.
A population that made a significance at my undergraduate studies at University of West Florida was inter-racial couples. In that specific part of the community (Pensacola,FL) inter-racial couples were not accepted as well as they are in other parts of the world. With that being noticed there was a sense of rebellion among the youth and especially among the college age students.The atmosphere got really bad in the community. Violence and crimes were committed on the university campus due to this situation.
ReplyDeleteFor the Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model, I would like to use my self. I grew up in a very diverse community. When I went away to college in Pensacola to UWF, at first I felt uncomfortable. UWF is a predominantly white school. However, once I got there met the people, everyone was nice. Fortunately , it was a great experience for myself. I learned that there was no reason to be uncomfortable and eventually it peeked my interest in other cultures!
At USF l I think the group that have the a large presence are cultural fraternities and sororities like Greg mentioned above. They offer many different social activities on campus and they are largely represented at the many community outreach events on campus.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Pedersen's Multicultural Development Model, I would have to use myself like Taklyah. However, mine is the opposite situation, I came from a very non-diverse community. My high school was almost completely comprised of white students with a only about 10 students of different races total. When I came to USF I found this totally different of corse. I have found a great interest in different cultures this lead me to many different adventures including; backpacking through Europe, and studying abroad in Spain. I would definitely say I have moved through the different stages.
The BIGGEST event on campus at Georgetown was a show put on by the South Asian Society, known as "Rangila". It comprised of dances, songs, skits, comedy and fashion shows put on by a few Indian students and 300+ students from the rest of the student body. The dances were the best part. There was a dance put on to exhibit every major type of Indian music. The time and effort put into each dance created bonds and friendly rivalry between dance number groups. Kids looked forward to joining, and depending on their class year, were able to get involved in more complex dance numbers. It was a huge event that had the whole student body talking about it. It was SO fun to watch and cheer all your schoolmates in gorgeous saris, dancing to the cadence beats of Indian music. Everyone had a friend who was either planning or dancing in the show. This event allowed students of all ethnic backgrounds to take part in a truly colorful cultural experience. The show gave all Georgetown students a common event to rally around and support. Rangila definitely fostered an open-minded mentality on-campus, as the show drew thousands of watchers and performers, all partaking in the celebration of a culture different from their own.
ReplyDeleteHere's a small idea of what's involved in Rangila (btw, watching this reminded me just how much fun it was to look forward to Rangila each year!! I hope you can enjoy it, too! :D):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un4pxJGCLdQ&feature=related
While waiting in those long lines for tickets, the dancers would entertain us:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Pg4o83r5U&feature=related
A good friend of mine is a great example of Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model. As an American, White man of German decent, he never knew anything outside the good ol’ U. S. of A. In college, he took Arabic classes, Islamic studies courses, and travelled abroad to the Middle East. He lived in Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, in a matter of years. He completed his Fulbright in Egypt and met the locals in Turkey. His sharp ear for languages aided him in acquiring knowledge to the degree of near proficiency. In fact, often on one of his treks eastward, he is mistaken for “Syrian”, “Jordanian”, and “Egyptian”. He has immersed himself so much in the culture and language that he effectively critiques Arabic journals professionally now. In my estimation, he has properly reached Pedersen’s “skill” level, as he has most definitely learned “…how to interact appropriately and effectively with persons from other cultures. Individuals in this stage learn to identify appropriate actions that will allow them to be accepted by persons from different cultures.”
At DePaul, an office that has a strong presence on campus was University Ministry. This office hosts most of the religious and service student organizations, which are very important to the student population. Among these groups was the community service association, which attracted all kinds of students. DePaul prides itself in being diverse, and this organization is proof of that. The group performs various types of service all over the city and participates in peer-lead reflections after each visit. This encompasses DePaul’s mission and introduces many students to it through physical service. In my experience, this group did not have to advertise much, as students always found it when looking for ways to fulfill service hours, service learning credit, or just to volunteer.
ReplyDeleteThe individual I am thinking of is in the “knowledge” stage. I believe she reached the stage of awareness by being open to her surroundings and being wise beyond her years. I was able to share the “knowledge” I gained in college with her, and I believe this lead her on her own path. She demonstrated this by being accepting of certain lifestyles that were not accepted in her personal family. She has friends of many different cultures while still remaining proud of her own heritage. I can easily see her moving to the skill stage once she branches out further from her homogeneous community.
At K-State, about 70% of the student population is white, which obviously impacts the atmosphere. But looking back at my experience, I have come to realize the impact that the historically black fraternities and sororities have made on our campus. Every year for the last 6 years, the undergraduate enrollment of African-American students has increased, and among other contributing factors, these fraternities and sororities are a huge reason why. The organizations have shown prospective students that they can find their home on campus and many of the members have even taken student jobs in student invovlement, admissions, and student government. K-State Black Student Union was even named best in the Big 12 again this year. The success of these organizations has led to growth - not only for their own fraternities and sororities - but for the entire university as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIn my time as an Admissions Representative at K-State, we were constantly pushing to recruit more students of different races, ethnicities, etc. (this itself could be an entire conversation). Because of this, we were in an environment where we had one big office full of employees who shared different responsibilities. We had a recruiter for Western Kansas (largely farming families who will not go to a 4-year college) in the same office as our multicultural recruiter (mostly metro and inner city schools) and our hispanic-speaking recruiter. The Admissions Representative for Western Kansas always saw office time as an opportunity to absorb. I would argue that prior to his time in this role, however, he only concerned himself with "White" but after starting the job, he hit the "Awareness" stage and has since engulfed himself in everything there is to learn about the other cultures he's been exposed to. It really is amazing to see how far he's come. I wouldn't call him "multicultural" by this definition just yet, but he's getting there for sure.
1.The Muslim community has a relatively large presence at the USF Tampa campus. This cultural group has changed the overall dynamic of the campus in many ways. Naturally, the mere presence of these individuals on campus helps foster a sense of religious and cultural diversity. While anti-Muslim rants and attacks have increased across the United States, this has never been the case at the University of South Florida—most likely due to the college’s longstanding acceptance and tolerance of different cultural groups.
ReplyDeleteThese students have made themselves known on campus through their clothing, food, language, and social functions. One of social function involves the offering of different types of food to students. This allows students to sample food that is different from their usual happenstance. This eventually led to conversations, the exchanging of cultural information, and discussions about Islam.
2. A good friend of mine would definitely be in the Skill stage. She has a good amount of understanding of different cultures, and is open to all. She eventually got to this point by opening herself up to new ideas, following the tenets of her faith (she’s a Baha’i), and practicing the art of just being nice. She likes to meet people from different faiths and cultural backgrounds. Also, when possible, she enjoys trying new types of food.
The African American population stood out to me most at FSU. The multicultural fraternity and sorority life was very big on campus. We would have market Wednesday's every week in the union. Every African American fraternity and sorority would perform step routines in the middle of the union and would draw a huge crowd. They also did a lot of community service. In my opinion, it seemed like they were all a big family because they knew each other very well.
ReplyDeleteThe friend that came to mind after I read the Pedersen's Model was a close friend from back home. I am from a small town on the east coast of Florida called Merritt Island (near Cocoa Beach). She didn't have the finances to go to college right after high school and chose to go to the local community college. I believe that she is only in the "awareness" stage because she has not yet experienced life outside of home. However, she is transferring to USF this spring semester, which will definitely open her eyes up to diversity.
A student population at USF that had a large presence on campus was Christian organizations, just as Emily said. As a resident assistant I saw these groups hold events near the residence and dining halls that had a large turnout. These organizations also were at the RA resource events held at the beginning of the year to promote their events for students in the residence halls.
ReplyDeleteUsing Pedersen’s multicultural development model my friend I met freshman year would be at the knowledge level. She grew up in a small, homogeneous town in upstate New York and had the opportunity to meet new people and experience different cultures here at USF.
A student population that has made a large impact on campus at the University of South Florida are Greeks. Fraternities and Sorority life during my undergraduate years was very popular. The more I got involved in different departments at USF the more I saw how many people were Greek. It just happened to be the most active people in SG, CSI, and throughout campus happened to belong to a fraternity or sorority. The biggest impacts I see Greeks having on people is pushing people to do service. USF has many community service events throughout the year and Greeks do their best to promote these events and get people to sign up. It could be said that almost every Greek organization believes in performing service, and here at USF they make it known.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend, male, 19-year-old Hispanic, who decided to do Study Abroad in Paris. He's never been to that part of the world before, but wanted to become aware of what else is in the world. He took the initiative to explore regions and cultures he knew little about and gain knowledge about them. He developed skills by the end of the program by understanding the reasons people act the way they act and learn some different languages. He wanted to seek out something new and used his resources at his university to get this accomplished.
These responses have been "on point" so far. They also have been interesting to read. I would have never guessed the amount of you all that are from homogeneous communities. With that, the individuals that most of you cited are the ones that, in my opinion, help to shape the Pedersen Multicultural Model. Their experiences of being exposed to diverse communities for the first time and embracing them give this model some validity. Keep the responses coming!
ReplyDeleteLooking back at my undergrad, I found myself drawn to the football team as an influential and significant presence on campus. Coming to FSU I had a “dumb jock” stereo-type in mind for the football players. The media face of the team was Deion Sanders and he seemed to relish playing this role. After spending time on campus, I quickly recognized that he was the exception. Many of the guys were involved in campus activities and community service projects outside of their football responsibilities. They were a very visible part of the campus, and many of them were also terrific additions to the student body for other strengths.
ReplyDeleteAs far as ranking a loved one of the Pederson model, I have to use my wife. She has moved through the model from awareness to skill. She grew up in a small town in upstate New York that offered very little diversity. She took Spanish language classes and did a study abroad semester in Argentina. She became so immersed in the experience that she went back and lived there for several years. The perspective gained from living in a foreign country has allowed her to maintain a perspective on world events that is much different than mine. She continues to use these skills and maintains close relationships with friends that have moved to other countries.
Coming from USF the population that stood out to me the most was the Muslim population similar to what Chance said earlier. I found it interesting in the wake of September 11th and the war with Iraq to attend a university where the religion was so openly celebrated. I often times found myself in conflict with myself and others from my high school who had misguided views of people originating from the Middle East. I also thought it was interesting to see the creation of the "serenity room" in the Marshall Student Center. I worked for Mr. Conway when he was lobbying to add this multicultural room to our center and it was interesting to see both the support and challenges with attempting to implement this idea.
ReplyDeleteAt my previous position at USF I found myself working with one student often to help overcome the challenges of diversity on campus. This student went through the cultural changes outlined by the Development of Intercultural Sensitivity model. Coming from a very low tolerance community the transition to a large diverse population such as USF was a struggle. I found myself working with him to gradually increase his acceptance towards other backgrounds and come to appreciate the experiences of others. The Development model worked in this instance because he had committed to the university and was willing to take a longer amount of time to adjust to his new surroundings.
The University of Florida's Black Student Union was a major organization on campus. They have a huge budget, host one of the biggest Black History Month celebrations of any college campus, and hosts the biggest Step Show in the country (or the region, I'm pretty sure it's the country. ) One thing that shocked me when I went to college was how much diversity there is among Black people/within the Black culture. I was born and raised on the South side of Chicago. My parents are both from Chicago, and their parents are American born and raised as well. I was struck by how different the cultures of the other Black people--Haitians, Jamaican, Cubans--were. The same is true for the diversity within other groups. "Asians" include people from India, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Japan. They all have unique cultures and customs. While some things are the same, some of them are TOTALLY different. Likewise with "Hispanics." People from Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Chile are so different. We need to be cognizant of the diversity within groups moving forward as SA professionals and good people in general.
ReplyDeleteInteracting with people who are in the earlier stages of Pedersen's development model can be very frustrating for those who are committed to multiculturalism and truly understanding diversity in all of its forms. I think it's important that when we encounter those individuals who have not evolved to a greater understanding of diversity we challenge the assumptions they bring to the table. Allowing misguided/incorrect beliefs (whether full-blown ethnocentrism or more subtle "we're all the same-all part of the human race")to persist in our circles is just as bad as subscribing to them ourselves. As SA professionals, we all have to do our part to "Walk the Talk."
ReplyDeleteSIU has a large population of non-traditional students and students with disbilities. We have both of these because our school is highly populated with veterans(mostly marines). Our disabled veteras have specials programs and extra help groups that they can attend. We have two orgazinations for veterans that they can become a part of. The veterans that I came into contact with did not spread their word right away. It was in you taking the time to get to know them that you really were able to learn and appreciate when they came from. I had several people in my classes who went to Iraq and Afganistan for several tours and even one guy who I graduated with was blown up. They are pretty kept to themselves though, they don't like special priveldges or to make a scene. I think in our major it is important for everyone to be open minded to different peoples views and opinions on things. If students feel they can't talk to us about anything, we are not doing out jobs very well.
ReplyDeleteA kid that comes to mind when I read these stages is a guy I officiated with. He was a white kid who was from a very white farm town. Reffing basketball was something he did before, but reffing basketball for different races is not something we was familiar with. Through the season he was getting better but I still think he is in the awareness stage. He definately fits into the white person with no culture profile because he has never been surrounded by any other culture.
A population on campus that has a significant presence on campus are the Fraternities and Sororities. I always felt that no matter where they were, people knew this certain band of people belonged to a group. Usually branded by their fraternity or sorority letters, they came to be known. No matter if more geared towards partying, involving themselves in collegiate life, or pressing towards academic success, they made themselves known. Everyone on the USF campus knows at the end of Holly to the left is Greek Life, and that is where “They” dwell on campus. It’s almost like a world of its own, with its own facilities, pool, houses, and modern utilities. Another way they made themselves known were the hundreds of signs that were staked all through campus advertising the different options one could choose from. Rush week is their week, the week that both the frats and sororities sell their organizations, in order to gather more people who want to join. They are obviously of some stature on campus and this is what establishes their presence on campus.
ReplyDeleteWorking with the Men’s Soccer team in Athletics there are many cultures that I am exposed to. I am also witness to other people being exposed to the different cultures that now surround them as well. I have one athlete (not mentioning a name) that I believe is in the awareness stage. Coming from a very sheltered background, he was not exposed to many other cultures other than the “White Culture” Pedersen describes. Being a freshman this year, he has been thrown into a team that is a melting pot in it’s own right. At first he would ask questions about why some of the people would do certain things, certain aspects of their everyday life he would question. Soon he seemed to come to almost an understanding, these are just everyday values, and ways of life. This awareness has helped him in the social aspect of the situation, and him not questioning has helped build more friendships.
One group in particular that was very present on Rockford College's campus was the athletic population. Over 80% of residential students were involved with an athletic team, and they maintained that collegiate mentality. Because of this commonality of athletics between students, there was a special bond within the residential athletic students. They were seeing each other in classes, in the residence halls, and at random time between practices, training room and attending/supporting each other during athletic events. The support and bond was something that I fit into and made me feel like I found a home and a group at my undergrad that I could relate to.
ReplyDeleteI think one person that come to mind is my younger brother, who is now a sophomore in college. He attends a small, private midwestern college that is known for its success in academics and community service. Upon his arrival at his institution, he was naturally introduced to many different people, and forced to experience the orientation process. Being that I am very interested in what other schools are doing in student affairs, I would speak with him frequently about his experiences. The one thing that stick out in my mind, for his awareness stage, is that his comment of meeting people he would not normally have talked to. Through the process of orientation, he was forced to step out of his shell and be open to other people. As a first-year in a new place, you tend to cling to anyone you get to know, so you feel comfortable. He was excited that he has the opportunity to develop and interact with people that are different form him. It is exciting to watch him progress through these stages.
Hey everyone,
ReplyDeleteCorey, I think these questions are fantastic and I am glad that you pointed out the Jewish community at Rutgers. One of my best friends/sorority sisters would take me to Hillel every so often for dinner and that helped me gain a greater understanding of the Jewish community at Rutgers.
One specific group that I would like to focus on is the racial/ethnic population. Rutgers had an incredibly diverse population. The Latino/Black community made a huge cultural impact on the Rutgers community. There are approx 58 Latino/historically Black/Asian/Multicultural Greek organizations on campus as well as special interest sections within the residence halls such as Latin Images and Paul Robeson. We also had the CLAC (Center for Latino arts and culture) and the Paul Robeson cultural center. It was very rare to NOT see many of these organizations outside of the cultural centers doing community service, throwing programs, and representing their community. The majority of their programs focused on culture, education, and philanthropy. They made a huge impact on my collegiate experience as well as to many others.
A great example for the second question is my Jewish friend that I mentioned above. She lives in the upper east side of NYC, which for those who don't know is a very rich side of the city. She lives in a predominately white/Jewish area. When she got to Rutgers, she told me that I was her first "Hispanic" friend. A year later she started dating a Cuban guy that she met in class. She often came to me for advice on their relationship because she didn't understand why his family acted in certain ways, or why they did things so differently, or why he felt so strongly about certain things. It was hard for her to understand that his culture was much different than hers. I started bringing her to my family functions and had her meet my family so that she could relate more to her boyfriends family. She was in shock at how different things were with my family and her family. She later told me that she gained more of an understanding for the Latino culture and deeply appreciates it and is able to appreciate her boyfriends family a lot more. I must agree with Andrea and Monica. I think its an ongoing process. We are all constantly learning about new people and cultures everyday but by learning about new people and those experiences is what really helps us gain a better understanding, which is the case with my friend.
Hey everyone,
ReplyDeleteCorey, I think these questions are fantastic and I am glad that you pointed out the Jewish community at Rutgers. One of my best friends/sorority sisters would take me to Hillel every so often for dinner and that helped me gain a greater understanding of the Jewish community at Rutgers.
One specific group that I would like to focus on is the racial/ethnic population. Rutgers had an incredibly diverse population. The Latino/Black community made a huge cultural impact on the Rutgers community. There are approx 58 Latino/historically Black/Asian/Multicultural Greek organizations on campus as well as special interest sections within the residence halls such as Latin Images and Paul Robeson. We also had the CLAC (Center for Latino arts and culture) and the Paul Robeson cultural center. It was very rare to NOT see many of these organizations outside of the cultural centers doing community service, throwing programs, and representing their community. The majority of their programs focused on culture, education, and philanthropy. They made a huge impact on my collegiate experience as well as to many others.
A great example for the second question is my Jewish friend that I mentioned above. She lives in the upper east side of NYC, which for those who don't know is a very rich side of the city. She lives in a predominately white/Jewish area. When she got to Rutgers, she told me that I was her first "Hispanic" friend. A year later she started dating a Cuban guy that she met in class. She often came to me for advice on their relationship because she didn't understand why his family acted in certain ways, or why they did things so differently, or why he felt so strongly about certain things. It was hard for her to understand that his culture was much different than hers. I started bringing her to my family functions and had her meet my family so that she could relate more to her boyfriends family. She was in shock at how different things were with my family and her family. She later told me that she gained more of an understanding for the Latino culture and deeply appreciates it and is able to appreciate her boyfriends family a lot more. I must agree with Andrea and Monica. I think its an ongoing process. We are all constantly learning about new people and cultures everyday but by learning about new people and those experiences is what really helps us gain a better understanding, which is the case with my friend.
ReplyDeleteSorry for posting 3 times. My computer is spazzing out!
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that every experience in life prepares us for the next experience, if we are willing to be open minded. Before I returned to USF to pursue my interests in higher education, I lived in Atlanta for a short time. While in Atlanta, I was amazed at the extreme diversity within this classic Southern city. I worked very closely with a large group of people from Morocco and Ethiopia, this was certainly not what I expected, however, I built great relationships with the kind individuals who were nothing like me. Along the way, I even learned a few words of Arabic, if I recall the number 2 is pronounced “zuish”. Now that I observe the many diverse populations and lifestyles here at USF, I appreciate all of them more because of my willingness to learn in Atlanta. As a campus tour guide here at USF, I shared the diversity aspect of our campus community with many visitors. I always made an effort to show the MLK plaza and the speech written in stone is a great reminder of our need for acceptance. I guess you could say that I am always in the “knowledge” stage of development. Thankfully I have not fallen into the comfort zones that so many non-traditional students can find themselves. I am very fortunate to have built great relationships while completing my undergrad and tried to prove that non-traditional students can bring a positive, productive, passionate approach to the campus community. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate on this campus and in the cohort.
ReplyDeleteLike Brent, the organization that stood out to me was the Black Cultural Center (the Hale Center). The center has it’s own building, the only black cultural center named after a still living person, with lots of interesting bits of history and culture inside. Though it was a Black cultural center, all students were encouraged to use the building and it’s resources. I actually took a few tours there and there were lots of things to learn from the guide and I could tell every time that he/she was very proud of what the center had to offer. Their building is also on south campus, right in the middle of most of our south campus residence halls. On warm spring days or during football season, members of the cultural center would have gatherings with music, food, etc. I do not think there was a single south campus resident who did not know about the Hale Center (and it’s parties!)
ReplyDeleteI have a friend from high school who moves back and forth between the knowledge and skill phases. He loves to travel, is a geography buff, and loves to learn about different cultures. Specifically, he does this by studying abroad and has been to South Africa, Kenya, Belarus and a number of other countries in Europe. He always comes back from these trips with incredible experiences and new world views to share with everyone else.
p.s. Dr. Miller and Jeff - sorry for being last...
One of the things I always loved about Iowa was its diversity. Even though it’s not as diverse as many schools in terms of numbers Iowa City is a lot more accepting of diversity then most towns I’ve been to. Our campus has converted four old houses into “cultural centers”; the Afro American Cultural Center, Asian Pacific American Cultural Center, Latino Native American Cultural Center, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center. It’s actually a popular Graduate Assistantship at Iowa to manage one of the houses. They do a lot of different programming throughout the year and also provide a meeting place for student organizations centered on those cultural groups. They also do a nice job providing a resource center and a safe place. All of those houses come together in February for Cultural Diversity Day and I always thought it was one of the coolest events on our campus. They have food, music, and performances from all around the world and it’s a really good chance for our cultural groups on campus to showcase their work.
ReplyDeleteMy best friend at Iowa was Taiwanese (both of her parents were born there) and when I first met her she really distanced herself from a lot of the cultural organizations on campus. She wasn’t very happy about taking Chinese classes and was ecstatic about getting unlimited supplies of American food in the dinning halls. Her father passed away our sophomore year and it seemed that she immediately started becoming more invested in learning about the Taiwanese part of her heritage. She really pushed herself in Chinese classes, became president of Asian American Coalition, and taught all of our roommates how to cook Chinese and Taiwanese food. This year she is teaching English in Taiwan before hopefully starting a graduate program in English Literature next year. She is loving the experience and really proud of how much better her Chinese has gotten (the skill stage?), but also excited to get back to school next year. I think when we started college she felt like she had to pick one culture over the other, but by our second and third year she found a way to really balance both.
p.s. Caitlin I think I'm last! I was waiting for my friend to get back to me, I wanted to make sure she was okay with being blogged about ;-)
I don't think either of you are last :) We still have a few people we haven't heard from!
ReplyDeleteThe organization that immediately comes to my mind is the NPHC sororities. I remember doing a project for one of my classes on the differences between NPC (National Panhellenic Conference) and NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council)and I remember coming the the conclusion that most of the campus was just uneducated about the other.
ReplyDeleteA lot of times, women will just go through the formal recruitment process. Maybe because their parents did, their roommates are, or because they are curious. While when researching NPHC, I found that these sororities are more focused on values-based recruitment and recruitment women that they think will be strong members. Predominately, NPC sororities are have majority of white members, and NPHC sororities have a majority of African American members.
During my research 2 years ago, I passed out a survey to my entire sorority, and the only person who had any idea about the other sororities was one of our African American members. I wonder if this is partly because of their recruitment process, or if the chapter is just uneducated on the greek community as a whole. They're really is no way to tell. Do students just join an organization where they feel a fit, and it just so happens that way that majority are blonde, or mostly all of of the same culture?
UT also has a lot of different faiths on campus, and as I said in my ecology presentation, a significant amount of people have their weddings at UT. They are currently in the process of putting up a non-denominational chapel "of faith and values" so that all students of every faith will be able to enjoy the chapel.
Another interesting thing, I cannot remember what specific college at the university enforces this but one in particular mandates all students to travel abroad. This degree requirement is to experience life in a different culture. I think that this is a truly great experience that the university requires and helps students to learn and appreciate diversity first hand.
I will have to agree with Chance. I think at USF the Muslim community is the minority community that has had the largest presence and impact on the campus. They are a dynamic community that is spread among multiple student organizations. They’ve had a pretty large impact on USF and have created many traditional multicultural events. Perhaps even more noticeable is that the Serenity Room in the Marshall Student Center was built with this community in mind (it was not built exclusively for them, but the foot bath and atmosphere of the room were built with that population in mind). The Muslim community is also very involved and participates in things like Stampede of Service and other service events. For the last several years these groups have received several grants from Student Government to produce interfaith dialogues and Islamic awareness events.
ReplyDeleteA good friend of mine would be at the skill stage of the Pedersen’s Multicultural Development Model. He was originally from a small southern town with a very homogenous population. When I had first met him I didn’t know much about him, but I remember he was very overwhelmed at the diverse student body at USF. One of the populations he had not had much expose to was the GLBT community. He had a lot of misconceptions and ideas about the community that were not correct. He progressed and became friends with some in the GLBT community and eventually overcame his pre-conceived conceptions and now is an advocate for GLBT issues. It was interesting for me to observe this change in him because he helped me to overcome some of the fears and misconceptions I had about the GLBT community.
P.S. Caitlin and Alyssa, I don't think either of you are last!
I do not think there was one specific group/community that was more prevelant than others at USF. I feel that LGBT, Asian American, African American, Fraternities and Sororities were all represented well at functions and throughout campus. The melting pot of cultures and backgrounds makes USF one of the more diverse schools in the country. I find it inspiring that people can form such a unique community coming from such different walks of life.
ReplyDeleteI have known people in all three stages of pedersons model. Coming from a predominantly Hispanic high school I had a few friends attend USF at the same time. I saw the stages occur from both their perspective and people they were encountering. Some students had never been around hispanic populations before and my friends from home had never been around such a diverse environment. Over time I witnessed the Awareness, Knowledge and Skill stages happening. College is a positive experience and most people enjoy meeting and learning about new people and usually become friends.