A Research Study On Bonds Formed With Like Minded Individuals Essay

Although a proportion of colleges and universities create programs and interventions that would provide support for all students equally, the collegiate achievement gap among the racial/ethnic minority is still a pressing issue. Researchers suggest that college students from minority groups are susceptible to the five sources of chronic strain (Schneiderman, Ironson, & Siegel, 2005). For example, having a full-time job, or problems between role sets (students and parents). As such, students may struggle with finding funds for college tuition and supplies, resolving housing and safety issues, finding help them care for dependent children, and accessing healthcare. Those situations are especially true for the minority students because they may face more challenge while developing time management and coping skills.

“Students who successfully adapt, establish social relationships with Whites, adjust to Black-White cultural differences, and cope with college

A feeling of affiliation with community and strong interaction with all of its members serve as the basis of the peculiarity of Black community. Membership of community has been always more important to African Americans than the feeling of individualism and competition among its members. Jagers and Mock (1995) have talked about Afro-cultural communalism. This communalism is the tendency of African Americans toward collectivist orientation or the preference for interdependence among people. Students who are driven by this communalistic orientation cannot describe themselves in individualistic terms. In fact, much of their self-identity is grounded in their social concern for, and need to be with, others [3]. Being a member of community young African Americans always relate themselves to it, because as it has been mentioned above, individualism is not a characteristic feature of Black community.

Meet Rachel, a sophomore studying at Howard University who is also mixed with both black and white. Rachel transferred to the Historically Black University from a Predominantly White Institution because she felt as though she was not “white enough” and Howard would better suit her. Unfortunately upon her arrival, Rachel could not help but feel as though she was not “black enough” to attend Howard University. Rachel’s feeling of not belonging are not isolated, they are shared by millions of biracial Americans who, at one time or another, felt as though they did not belong to either culture. These feelings have been brought on, over time, by the way, America, although believed to be a “melting pot” of cultures, often wants people to categorize themselves as one ethnicity and the pressure placed on Americans to solely identify with one race divides the country more than anything else. The only way to rectify this problem is for Americans to stop separating themselves into racial categories and come together to be classified as simply American.

This study was only a snapshot of how African American males felt about their experiences at Morehead State University. There is a need on campus to find ways of helping African American males connect with others. Whether it be in the classroom or outside the classroom. If I were to continue this study, one area I would think would be interesting is to examine the results of students who lived on campus, and those who were solely online students. The online learners would likely give a different perspective on the social viewpoints of college.

Eight college students attending the University of Louisville were interviewed. Within this group, half were females and the other half were males. Among the females, two were biracial and the other were African American. Of the individuals who

In these dorms, the initial interactions that socially code us throughout college are initiated. These social interactions create and solidify bonds between students that can continue for the rest of their lives. A change to the demographics of the freshman dorms doesn’t just create an immediate effect, but also affects every current and future resident of UC Davis. A freshmen social group that is initially less diverse will lead to a less diverse group of friends throughout the remaining years of their undergraduate studies. This reduces their social group to a less diverse group of individuals, which reduces the chance for them to interact with other cultures and overcome any form of culture shock that they are affected by, whether it be here in UC Davis or later in their careers. Freshmen dorms are the only place that nurtures cultural interaction to create a UC Davis community that is ultimately more unified, accepting, and respectful of all people and their different cultures.

To help foster growth and development, institutions are focusing on how to implement programs and services that encourage students to explore their own individuality. Student development advocates “are drawn to critical theories because they focus attention on underrepresented populations of students” (p. 1). Critical theory is an umbrella term for multiple disciplines including humanities, sociology, legal studies, and education. By accentuating individual circumstances, critical theories can be applied for a more intricate understanding of the student as whole, including factors like individual and social aspects that can affect development. By embracing a multitude of strategies, student affairs professionals focus on developing racial awareness by promoting and encouraging interaction between all races in anticipation of racial understanding (Ireland & Jones,

Supporting the success for diverse students on campus is just the beginning to make their experience as equal to that of the white community. Without positive campus attitude and without the recognition of what diversity brings to a school and a classroom, the system would not thrive and those of a different ethnic background will not be inclined to attend. The conclusion to Espinosa’s, Gaertner, and Orfields article is that college and university leaders

Colleges have always encouraged their students to live on campus, especially freshman. This is for the reason that living on campus allows student to encounter new cultures, participate in organizations, and reach academic heights. For example, Tarleton State University states that “Living on campus will enable [the student] to interact with diverse people enriching [their] educational experience and will provide convenient access to professors and academic resources the campus offers. In addition, on-campus students are more likely to become and stay involved in clubs and organizations” (Tarleton State University, 2016). Along with the notion that students residing on campus are likely to reach academic heights, a study conducted at the University of North Dakota during the fall semester of 1966-1967

The growth of identity is a practice molded by a person’s family history, environmental experiences, and societal attachments. Identity endures ordeals to make the person secure and attentive so that it’s easier for the person to know what to expect out of their life. Although changes in our surroundings can be accepted, adjustments to one’s identity can often be challenging. Particularly in African American identity, there is difficulty in accepting who one is and knowing one’s place in society. There is an even greater difficulty if one is a biracial African American.

As I went through the research process for this paper I conducted many interviews with former classmates who are now either attending a four-year university or a local community college. The original intent was to find out their reasons for attending the institution they chose to attend. As I accumulated information I began to see a glaring trend in the relationship between the social group the individual was a member of and the college they ended up attending. This then drove me to further examine the influencing factors in these students’ social lives, in a hope of identifying the degree to which they are influenced by each other. Thus, the first part of the paper explores

Since many of the participants stated that they did not have a relationship with their classmates, it makes sense that they would choose not to be engaged with the university based on Gaier's statement. This also explains why alumni choose to participate in affinity group activities. The participants who are engaged through affinity groups talked extensively about their interpersonal relationships with other Black alumni while they were students on campus and wanted to relive these positive memories. According to Meeuwisse, Severiens, and Born (2010), ethnic minorities feel less comfortable in their educational environment than their classmates from the dominant culture, which would explain why Black students would not spend time at their class reunion. Alumni that are engaged tend to do it for the benefit of the students which is discussed

Race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, poverty, and sexual orientation, all play a role in developing one’s identity and more often than not, these multiple identities intersect with blackness. Being that American society has deemed colored people and populations as minoritarian subjects, African diaspora people can be seen making safe spaces for themselves to survive as individuals and as a part of communities.

In 1954, following the Brown v. the Board of Education decision, African American students became legally able to apply for admission to previously all-White colleges and universities (Anderson, 2002). Following this legislation, many higher education institutions began to racially integrate at a considerable rate; however, racism and exclusion continued to happen within these institutions (Anderson, 2002). Mount Holyoke is a historically predominantly White women’s college that began significant racial integration following Brown, and following student sit-ins in the 1960s and 1980s, multiple cultural houses and ethnic studies programs were created on campus (Haaga, 2015). These cultural centers “provide a counterspace to facilitate [students