Draft 2

Emmanuelle Paul

Maddie Kahl

ENC 2135-142

13 February 2018

Draft 2

As, you know years ago, universities being integrated wasn’t heard of. We currently live in an era where it is the cultural norm to meet someone who doesn’t look or have the same background as you. Currently at universities, racial tensions have decreased greatly. However, being a freshman at a predominantly white institute raises the question on how accepting and encouraging universities are with the providing resources to their students. Which leads me to the topic of my research question, African Americans. I want to focus on ways African Americans and other minorities can embrace their culture and succeed within a Predominantly white Institute. I attended a high school where 99.9 percent of the students were African American, 1 percent being minority(whites/etc). Coming to a PWI was a different culture shock for me and I have my own perspective and opinions to coming here to Florida State and am still getting involved in certain clubs. This topic affects me to the core, because I will be attending Florida State for the next four years, and going to school where I my culture isn’t prominent can possible affect me as a person overall.

There are those who focuses and study the area of minorities at Predominantly white institutes, because it is a big factor in the education field. One factor, that is often left out of the attention of university is the mental aspect of students who attend universities. It is not a problem for only for those who are minority but those who go to the school. African Americans tend to have the problem with living through the theory of, “double consciousness.” A theory proposed by W.E.B. Du Bois, which means they are unintentionally forced to have two identities and pressured to view themselves as they’re perceived by their non-black peers, so that it would be easier to succeed and cope with the presence of differences within their environments and trying to accomplish the goals that they have set for them while they are at their attending universities. Based on the information found in the value and Necessity of Mentoring African American College Students at a PWI, t has been found that mentoring African Americans in higher education has been used to help them understand unfamiliar academic settings.

There are organizations implemented within predominantly white university that are established for those who are African American and those who also identify as a minority. They are put within the school so that there is a community where students who make up less of the universities population can have a place where there is an atmosphere where they feel comfortable with issuing their problems if they have any challenges. The Black Student Union at Florida State is a prime example of an organization that aids in the growth of those in their select group. Their mission is, “to be a student government that offers Black student a form of identity and a social life. BSU functions as a vehicle of communication to the faculty and administration of Florida State University.” Entering an organization that is related to your culture, that understands the history and culture of your race, is a form of unity that the Black student wants to bring on campus. It gives an opportunity for people who are similar in culture to face problems that they undergo with those who can support them and a safe place to express themselves. Not only does FSU, have an organization called the Black Student Union but they also have a program called C.A.R.E., a program for minorities who are also first-generation students. Students who are first in their generation to attend college. There needs to be a strong supportive environment where environment to establish their presence and sense of cultural identity.(Sinannan)

African Americans face various amounts of problems related to psychological pressure while attending universities that aren’t leading in their race/ethnicities. There is an underlying pressure put unto blacks that isn’t seen but is discussed about within the community of those who do attend those universities.” One of the greatest challenges of being a black college student at a predominantly white college is the pressure to represent your entire race positively by succeeding at everything.” (Think)There is a common assumption that Blacks who are admitted to these institutes aren’t accepted based on their own accomplishment in education. Which pressures them to try to excel positively to prove that they do have knowledge, they can be on the same level playing field. “research has shown students experience more feelings of isolation and negative stereotyping at less diverse universities as well as more pressure to perform well academically.”(Think) The negative stereotypes can cause a sense of comparison to those around them and decline in their academic performance.

Having programs implemented on a campus for various ethnic groups, is a positive factor that would increase the productivity of students within universities. C.AR.E., also known as the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement, is a program and not an organization that is on campus for minorities students who are first generation. “Recruit, prepare, and support targeted first generation college students for successful adaptation and academic success at the undergraduate level.” Being that majority of minorities are first generation students, it is hard for some to understand certain concepts that are implemented at higher education. That can cause them to be isolated and resistant to explore their new environment. Having a program of this sort, for not only African Americans but minorities can benefit more people other than a select group. A group that having an understanding of situations that occur in a community, have a better rate of exceling together.