Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Haley Group B: Challenges to consider

[Haley Reading groups Fall 2021]

For our last week of responses, we’re thinking beyond the short stories.

We’re not where we were last year this time when all classes were remote and the pandemic was even more prevalent, but we’re still not back to pre-COVID so-called normality.

Over the last couple of years, researchers and commentators have noted the toll that the pandemic has had on African Americans and other people of color in terms of health, in the workforce, in neighborhoods and homes, and in schools.

As we emerge from and continue to deal with a pandemic, what do you now think is one of the most important challenges to consider and discuss at SIUE concerning black students like you? Briefly explain in two or three sentences.

Examples:
• “The biggest challenge is putting figuring out how to put black students in touch with each other. The pandemic diminished crucial peer-to-peer networks, which were crucial for overall educational and social development. Addressing those kinds of issues will be vital if we expect black students to thrive here at the university and moving forward.” --J. D.

• Motivation. Over the last two years, so many black students like me loss motivation to do well and excel. If we expect to get to a better place, we’ll certainly have to figure out how to inspire folks to become more excited about educational and professional pursuits.” –M. S.

• The pandemic made it even clearer how vulnerable African Americans were in a world with systemic racial injustice. We should use all we learned about disproportionate health factors as well as the protests concerning social justice to address really address racist barriers at university.” P. F.

79 comments:

Linda H. said...

I would say finances are one of the important things to discuss because lots of low socioeconomic black students have been struggling to stay in school during the pandemic. Resources dedicated to help ease the financial strain would be helpful to discuss.

Kahleea Washington said...

Resources and support. Throughout the pandemic everyone especially African-Americanns felt the effect of food shortages and inflation. Today it is even harder to afford basic needs such as groceries and gas. Not stressing as much about affording necessities would help a lot of students.
Kahleea W.

K Carter said...

The biggest challenge is making connections with other black faculty. Personally, I am not on campus very much unless I have class or other meetings. With everything still being under restrictions, I rarely see any black faculty. I have been here for almost three semesters and have made very few connections with black faculty due to the pandemic.

Monica Gilliam said...

I think guidance and resources are important for students of color is college. There are many African American students that are first generation college students, therefore they may not have a family member to help guide them through the college process, give them advice on how to succeed while in college, and help them figure out the steps that they need to take to get to their end goal.

Kelsey H said...

I would say finances (resources) and motivation. I say these two because a lot of African Americans went through it hard when the pandemic hit. It was hard for some to buy food or even pay bills around the house. A lot of people were losing their jobs and had no help. I say motivation because during the pandemic, you were in the house 24/7 seeing the same thing everyday so of course you weren’t gonna wanna do anything because days kept being the same. You had nothing to look forward too.

Torian H. said...

Recent times have shown me that moral and drive of black students like myself have been severely affected by the pandemic due to lack connection with people within our community because of covid restrictions.
Torian H.

Anonymous said...

One of the biggest challenges for black students since the pandemic is finding themselves. Many come from a background where they are not exposed to much, with hopes of finding more things they like at college. Even if it is not part of the norm. Because of COVID many never got the chance to see what it was like to live free and try new things that were not available back at home. College is the place to find yourself and sense what it is you want to do in life. COVID made that opportunity disappear and pushed people back into their comfort zone. Trying to view the world different while being in the same place sucks. Of course this doesn’t mean it’s not attainable, it’s just a little harder.

Alexis H.

Tymera Washington said...

During the pandemic a lot of black people had to choose between work and school so that was a struggle. Also when the pandemic started everything became virtual. With this being said a lot of black people struggled because they didn't have a computer to complete their work. On top of all of this a lot of black people lost their jobs, causing them to struggle or struggle even more than before. While the list can go on and on these are a few things.

Mark S Lewis said...

Readjusting to a more social climate. We naturally have to be careful of how we act because specific actions aren't as acceptable for us to do. I think the term is "code-switching." Remembering to correctly socialize will be a big struggle for us to return to normal.

Arielle S. said...

A few of the most important things to focus on after all of this ESPECIALLY on SIUe's campus would be to do research and be respectful. As far as doing research there have been so many misunderstandings and important details overlooked when people began talking about the virus the vaccine and wearing masks and all they need to do is do research on the virus itself. As far as being respectful, just because you do not feel like wearing a mask because you took the vaccine thinking you're invincible now and cannot catch it nor spread it but you really can and it's rude to older people and people that really cannot get the vaccine or wear a mask due to medical issues and this also ties in with the whole research thing.

Samantha A. said...

The most important challenges to consider as we continue with the pandemic are finances and perseverance. The pandemic caused many people to lose their job, which cause stress for many college students paying for college and continuing to pay life expenses. I also say perseverance as classes are changing to back in-person, we have to change our mindset from staying indoors everyday to going back in public with the subconscious worry about Covid and the new variants.

-Samantha A.

McKenna C. said...

I think the biggest obstacle to overcome due to the pandemic is sociability. For some, the lack of social gatherings during the pandemic was huge. The aspect of being social again on campus will take some time getting used to, especially with the varying views on wearing masks.

McKenna C.

LaTrina Brown said...

The most important thing to consider with the ongoing pandemic and black students like me is finances. It has been crucial with the economy since the pandemic has started and a lot of people in college that I know have not been able to return because of financial reasons. I wish there were additional resources that would help black college students with their finances.

Alexis S. said...

I think that mental health is an important challenge to consider among Black students at SIUE. As the pandemic continues to forge on, new challenges and setbacks continue to build upon one another causing a lot of anxiety and feelings of hopelessness. It is important that SIUE continue to promote the mental health resources available on campus and come up with more mental health promotion guidelines and activities.

- Alexis S.

Kiya R. said...

I think one of the most important challenges to consider and discuss that concern us Black students at SIUE is isolation and loneliness in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. With this being a predominately white institution, it already is hard for us to find our community here on campus, but with the pandemic, we had even less access to find our community due to the restrictions leading to less in-person events and classes. Even though I personally have gotten really involved on campus and even live on campus, and I still struggled with not being able to have deep connections with other Black students and often felt lonely and isolated here at times, which really impacted my mental health, and I am sure I am not the only Black student who experienced this.

Paris S. said...

I think that one of the most significant challenges to consider regarding the pandemic are the socioeconomic struggles that black students have faced due to financial deficiencies. Also, due to the pandemic, there was a lack of social events, which may have prevented black students from making connections with other black students and faculty.

Layla Brooks said...

I believe that COVID had a weird impact on Africa Americans or people of color because affect people poetic thinking and ways they treat others in public. I say that because during the pandemic the president would blame Asian people or blame Hispanic people of spreading the disease because they didn't resonate in the beginning in the U.S. For African Americans I feel that in the pandemic we have fought through more ignorant people and alot abuse in amount of months over years.

Ebonie Byrd said...

I think that African Americans were impacted s greatly by the pandemic because it put a spotlight on social problems that remain in the Black community. I believe by giving black people the resources to connect and meet new people would help with opening doors for more young black people.
Ebonie Byrd

Tamia Flowers said...

I believe the outbreak highlighted how vulnerable African Americans are in the face of systemic racial injustice. We should use everything we've learned about disproportionate health factors as well as social justice protests to overcome racist hurdles at university.

Tiffany Ellison said...

I would say that the pandemic has made it much harder for African American students to come to and get to colleges/universities. Because so many universities lowered the number of students that they take in for safety precautions, they also lowered the number of black students that are getting accepted because they don't "need as many" to fill their quota. Not only that, but I know that a lot of students are also struggling because their parents can't afford now more than ever to send their kids to school because so many of them were laid off. So if there could be something in place to not only help with finances, but also make colleges open up to accepting more black students, and not just blaming the number of students they can take in during covid.

-Tiffany E

Cheyenne C. said...

I think one of the most important challenges to consider is how uncomfortable it is to "get back out there". We've all been locked down for the past two years of the pandemic and it has been hard relearning those social cues and talking to people face to face again. With the lack of social events just for black people, it has definitely made it harder.

Carah F. said...

The main issue I've noticed in the black community at SIUE is motivation. Personally my motivation for everything has dramatically plummeted since the beginning of the pandemic. It's extremely difficult to even want to start tasks sometimes. It feels like I have an infinite number of tasks to do with no end, and I just don't know where to start. And I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, since many people I started out with have dropped out.

Kayla Person said...

Being at PWI can already make it hard to find a sense of community and belonging. This was intensified greatly over the last two years. This can and has been detrimental to a lot of black student’s mental health, making college more challenging than it already is.

Kayla P.

Nyah Crockett said...

I would say that a big challenge to African-Americans, specifically on this campus, is that we don't have that many ways to reach out to each other. Considering that SIUE is a PWI, it's important that we stay in touch with other so we know that we are not isolated and alone.

Charlie Brown said...

A challenge that I and other black students may have faced is meeting new people. Although there are many black students on campus, people are still more reserved and distanced because of the pandemic. While this is understandable, it's still somewhat frustrating because some students may not know where to go or who to turn to when it comes to meeting new people and making friends that may last past their college & educational career.

Alleson Huntspon said...

I think the biggest challenge would be meeting other students within our classes. Whatever the race may be I feel I had really good study partners before the pandemic because we were in class together and could connect better. It’s so hard to find good classmates who want to learn as much as myself.

Walter Carroll said...

I would say that the pandemic made it harder for black students at SIUE in the sense that it added another obstacle to being able to interact with other black students. With SIUE being a PWI, it was already hard enough for African American students to interact and engage with each other. Now with Covid people are a lot more isolated and reserved, which just furthers the challenge of experiencing meaningful connections with other African Americans.

-Walter C.

Chelsea Cooper said...

I think one challenge of African American college students is the lack of social or peer events. SIUE is a PWI, so it's already a struggle to find other African Americans students to relate and have a connection. As an African American student I struggle with this on campus, trying to find my identity and where I fit in. Often the feelings of loneliness creeps upon me.

-Chelsea Cooper

Teighlorn Traywick said...

The most important challenge to consider and discuss concerning black students is financial support. African Americans in this country were already at a substantial financial disadvantage before the pandemic. I can write a book about all the ways this country has functioned to ensure African Americans never create generational wealth, own property, and are paid equally as our white counterparts, but those books already exist. I will say that the pandemic only exacerbated these inequalities. Families lost loved ones and jobs. Schools opted for remote learning forcing many parents who do not have the luxury to work from home to quit their jobs to watch their children. Money is what is needed because money = opportunity. Nobody likes to admit it because we all want to think of others as altruistic and happy beyond money. Students need funding for books, transportation, tuition, and other expenses.

Teighlor T.

Kiarra Chark said...

One of the most important challenges to consider and discuss at SIUE when concerning black students is the lack of support and resources that most of us deal with. A lot of black students are first-generation students and are navigating the college experience alone like myself so I understand how hard it is. I think this pandemic just made it even more difficult to be a black college student.

Elizabeth Kyande said...

The big challenge I think is still being involved and getting into the in-person atmosphere. I feel a whole year can do a lot of damage and give people new habits. We are now so used to things being online and have been comfortable for months. Now we have to reprogram our mindset.

Elizabeth Kyande

Tiana Jackson said...

I think one of the biggest challenges for African Americans on this campus is accessibility to other black students and faculty. Transferring from a HBCU I already anticipated this being a challenge, but I think with COVID so many people are not used to socialize and there is a lack of community and anxiety about socializing.
Tiana J

Jalen White said...

I think the biggest challenge for black students would be feeling as if they are apart of a larger black community while being a student. As someone who goes to a PWI, it can be very easy to not see many black faces in everyday interactions, and that can discourage a lot of students who are trying to acclimate to a new environment. I do think that that is a huge issue and can be a reason why a good number of black students, particularly black men, drop out of college at higher rates at this university.

Jalen W.

SylveA’sha Radley said...

I think the biggest challenge is encouragement and resources. I feel like some of the faculty should be more encouraging to the black community, like if you see a student is trying to reach a certain goal in their education. Help them get there, don’t withhold information from them because they didn’t ask. The one thing that is important to me when going to a college, is how caring the faculty is to you regardless of your race, because that sets the tone for how the rest of your years at that college will be like.

Zaria Hankins said...

I think that motivation has been one of the biggest challenges. It’s hard to feel motivated to have a social life after spending so much time in quarantine. It can be hard to feel safe going out to social events when the virus is as serious as it is yet ignored by so many. It’s also hard to feel motivated to continue working hard on schoolwork. The decrease in social activity has made school seem more overwhelming than ever and without that school-life balance, I think the chance of experiencing academic burnout has increased.

Taiye Joseph said...

What I realized during this hectic time as a black student is that the pandemic has shown us how unfair society is and how vulnerable African Americans are within our society. I have found it beyond difficult to meet other students. As being a transfers student this semester, I haven't been able to meet new people or even truly know all of the colored students on campus at least by face. When you are a minority at school it can be super hard to try to reach out to others specially in a pandemic when we are told not to reach out for our health.

Corey A said...

I think our biggest challenge as being an African American at SIUE is that we can’t connect as well. Meaning covid has put so many restrictions out that the back community cant collect as one and have as big of gatherings that we would normally have.

Anonymous said...

I feel that one of the biggest challenges for Black students is feeling seen, valued and represented on all levels of the university. Not to say that we aren’t cared about and not saying that the university does not care about representation, but it is harder to digest or accept that an effort is being made when there isn’t even much staff and faculty who look like us.

Jamie Tabron

Jania G said...

I think one of the biggest challenges that I and other black students face due to the pandemic is being able to meet and connect with other black students. Going to a predominantly white school already makes it hard to connect with other black students but COVID has put even more restrictions on this.

Byron Coulter said...

The most important challenge I think is the the financial concerns regarding paying for college. With covid putting parents as well as students out of work, it's only getting harder to pay for college. I understand that colleges are taking steps with covid relief, but it's simply not enough to make an impact. The college debt crisis is only rising.

Jovahna Williams said...

I think the biggest challenge we should discuss is being able to understand the racial disparities between African Americans and white people and why these disparities matter when it comes to health care. As African Americans have quite literally been experimented on and treated like lab animals, it is understandable why they may make the choices that they do, such as not getting the vaccine because of the fear that something may happen to them. However, while this is a valid fear, it needs to be met with educational resources as to why getting the vaccine is important not only for them but for the people around them, and society as a whole. As someone who has job shadowed in a neonatal clinic where 98% of the patients there were African American, many African Americans are reluctant to get the vaccine because they know nothing about it and are afraid of what's in it, but if we can educate them in a way that is easy to understand about what happens when you receive the vaccine, what is normal and what is not, and why getting the vaccine is important, then I think we would be able to vaccinate a lot more people who are not getting vaccinated because of the legitimate fears that come along with being black and receiving medical care.


-Jovahna W.

Anonymous said...

An issue that we must address is that we are all individuals. Through oppression, black people have been forced to be grouped together and have one experience. When in fact we are all different people living separate lives. We were taught to stick together because of our color of skin, but we don't need to. Its a beautiful thing when we unite, but I hate that it was mainly brought about because of racial injustice.
-Sheena C.

Anonymous said...

I think an issue that should be addressed and should always be considered is the mental health within the African American community, especially those who are in extended schooling. Through the pandemic highlighting mental health for all students was widely accepted, but there has always been this stigma in the black community that showing that side of us makes us weak. You have people who have been a target for centuries, are usually the punchline of a joke, don't get advantages without backlash that are hard to obtain due to competition, and constant stigma from outside the community as well as within the community, yet we have to pretend as if nothing ever bothers us and that we should be perfectly healthy. Every corner you turn there is someone in a black person's space telling them who they should or shouldn't be and making fun of who they are, and this is more seen within black youth. People in this demographic who are trying to better themselves to be different than what we are stigmatized as. So, I think that mental health should be talked about more, because with all of these things against us especially each other, that is why our community is at war between each other.

-Brooke H.

Ta'mya Cummings said...

One of the biggest challenges as an African American student is not being able to connect with other students and staff of the same ethnicity. By some of us not having many in person classes or even not living on campus, it is harder to try to make connections and get support from the African American staff who has a better understanding of us. Also, by not being on campus and having to be at home, you don't have the same feeling of being at school and that could tend to take away your motivation.

Darius C said...

I believe the most challenging thing is the fact that it is difficult now to meet and talk with other black students. Doing so is extremely important because it allows us to share experiences and also motivate each other to do well.

-Darius C

Ehriana . C said...

I think one of the most important challenges for black students at SIUE is transitioning back to a more traditional setting within classes. For me personally It has been hard getting back to use to actually coming on campus and attending lectures and labs rather than learning from a computer screen all day. I've realized that like myself, many other black students have sort of lost that drive and passion for our majors because during covid there was no real learning experience.

-Ehriana C

Marianne Huck said...

I would say motivation. I have been so tired constat=ntly and I even caught covid this year and was out fr the count for weeks. I was treated awfully by my professors who seemed to think everyone could only be sick for 10 days and it just feels like all the passion I had for school is really a lot less.

Marianne Huck

Philip Bowen said...

I think the most challenging thing for black students during this time is the limited resources. Since the pandemic students have had a hard time paying for school due to family members losing jobs or not having enough to pay for tuition. Also it been hard for black students to connect with other black students and faculty to share their experiences.


-Philip B.

Erin Myers said...

Breana B.:

I feel the biggest challenge for black students is support here on campus. Black students need a safe space where they can express themselves and have resources available to us. College is stressful and can be very overwhelming. So having a place like this would be very beneficial and helpful

Erin Myers said...

Chai C.:

So far I think one of the biggest challenges as African American students during this pandemic is finding ways to connect with one another. Because of COVID, a lot of people went back home and a lot of events were cancelled. This had made it really hard to meet other African American students on campus-both in clubs and just at regular campus activities. SIUE is slowly starting to improve this issue by having more events for us- like the probates and barbecues.

Erin Myers said...

Oyeyemi E.:

As we continue to deal with the covid-19 pandemic, I will say one important challenge is connecting with other black students and faculty, making sure we do have a support system and having that safety that we do have other black people we can relate too.

Erin Myers said...

Richard H.:

I'd say a big problem for African American students in college is going to have to be social. The pandemic made it harder to establish connections with others and to be more social with other students. Being stuck in the dorm all day has made some students lose some of their social abilities and when things are back to normal it will take them a little longer to re-adjust and get back to socializing again.

Erin Myers said...

I'Lysa W.:

Oversights prevalent when it comes to African American students are financial strain, mental health, and networking. There needs to be more consistent work on leveling the playing field and making more resources accessible. There needs to be more blatant support from our university to its communities.


Erin Myers said...

Daniel A.:

When the pandemic began, It felt like the entire world paused and everyone finally noticed how much racial prejudice there is in the world against us. The 1st time I ever felt like there was ever a chance at change in the world was during the protests of last summer. It made me realize how much negativity and anxiety I was unconsciously holding in every day towards the way the world treats us.

Erin Myers said...

Shantal T.:

Connecting or rather reconnecting with other students and faculty that helped them before the pandemic. Establishing the connections with be necessary for getting a sense of normalcy back. And if we can get a sense of normalcy back it might be easier to get our motivation and excitement back.

Anonymous said...

I would say that resources has been one factor that I have countless times heard about. People at this time are struggling to meet end needs. In class, many students are absent because they are under the obligation to work in order to keep food on the table. On top of all these challenges, some students are struggling with mental health because of all the stress they are going through.

-Geonel M.

Anonymous said...

I would say that resources has been one factor that I have countless times heard about. People at this time are struggling to meet end needs. In class, many students are absent because they are under the obligation to work in order to keep food on the table. On top of all these challenges, some students are struggling with mental health because of all the stress they are going through.

-Geonel M.

Erin Myers said...

Ashanti Y.:

I would say finances are one of the important things to discuss because lots of black students have been struggling to stay in school during the pandemic especially with lack of resources.

Justin Jubert said...

I would say access to support financially are a big factor in struggling students because many of us come from backgrounds that may not be high on the socioeconomic ladder. Another would be emotional support as well, I remember struggling with my mental health throughout covid and I'm sure this was the case for many other African American students - Justin Jubert

Keaira C. said...

As a 22-year-old black young woman, in reflection, I feel that one of the most important challenges to consider is how to continue to move in solidarity within these times and stay mindful and aware of what we're doing, how we're treating each other, and how to be better advocates for each other. I feel that the COVID pandemic has definitely shown us how literally everyone is affected, everyone hurts, and now even as we try to heal we still continue to hurt and face the damages that have come along into society from COVID's continuing presence. We keep trying to pick up the pieces, but it would be easier if we all shared common peace as a basis for picking them up together. I feel like these times of hurting and detriment should be showing us that being unified and pushing for solidarity and advocacy of human rights, justice and humanly treatment of all should be prioritized and emphasized for best handling times like these.

Kaelyn Cupil said...

I would say mental health and resources are the most important things to students right now, an emphasis is placed on these things for black students because in our community there was already a shortage of help on these topics pre-pandemic. I feel as though good mental health is the core of a good student and resources boost that student up.

Janielle F. said...

I would say that financial problems and a lack of diversity among the staff is the biggest challenge. Like many others have stated, I am facing financial difficulties and college definitely is not helping improve my situation. But finances, combined with the lack of Black faces among the staff of my major, makes it a bit harder for me to visualize myself in my field.

Erin Myers said...

William A.:

I would say the biggest challenge to address with be connecting us with black faculty on campus. Being able to connect black students not just to each other, but also with black members of SIUE staff would be great not just for representation, but also networking and being able to talk about careers, as well as life after college.

Erin Myers said...

Courteona C.:

I honestly think that even though we are slightly off restrictions there is still a division with being involved with 1 another. I am a transfer student , I came in the middle of the pandemic and I still don’t have time or the free time to meet with others or have time to mingle around and get to know each other. I can say now though with being apart of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. it has helped me meet new people and see what goes on around campus, especially when we have events.

Erin Myers said...

Jacqueline S.:

From my experience, one of the most important challenges of discussion should be the mental health and resources for students who are mothers. The pandemic has at times called for student mothers to be teachers of advancing methodology that's unfamiliar while submitting themselves to unfamiliar information and subject matters. While this reduced to mere responsibility, it carries great weight when having to be done in the context of heightened fears, fatigue of already short attention spans, and the absence of the time that would normally be a break for the mother. The exhaustion from that and not having resources to show understanding of our plight and provide some sort of strategy or boost proves to be difficult and unseen.

Bria Brandon said...

I would say the most prominent problems amongst black students especially during this pandemic is mental health, social skills, and financial stability. I can say from experience that the pandemic was very mentally straining on me. In the beginning of the pandemic I never left my room, let alone my bed. I was 4 hours away from my friends and I was just very down and lost all motivation for school. Also, within black students the majority come from middle class families where some lost their jobs and some even had to take on the role of providing for their families and get jobs. With these two combined, I just say the black community just really needs support right now and motivation because most are impacted greatly from the pandemic.

Erin Myers said...

Daeja D.:

Over the past year one of the biggest challenges I would say is motivation. For many people there were struggles inside of school as well as outside of school. All of these contribute to a person's well being and having the motivation to keep going even when things are hard I think was a challenge for many people. In addition to that every time someone opens any type of social media app there is always something in the news about black people. That also is very discouraging which in all just put people in a bad headspace.

Erin Myers said...

Bria B.:

I would say the most prominent problems amongst black students especially during this pandemic is mental health, social skills, and financial stability. I can say from experience that the pandemic was very mentally straining on me. In the beginning of the pandemic I never left my room, let alone my bed. I was 4 hours away from my friends and I was just very down and lost all motivation for school. Also, within black students the majority come from middle class families where some lost their jobs and some even had to take on the role of providing for their families and get jobs. With these two combined, I just say the black community just really needs support right now and motivation because most are impacted greatly from the pandemic.

Erin Myers said...

Meghan N.:

Resources and guidance are essential for African American students as it shapes the way we view ourselves, and routes we take to success. The pandemic has made it more challenging, but I believe there should be more resources and events for African American students and more events for women about believing in themselves and knowing their self-worth and value as there is a lot of toxicity in media and in college that people do not speak about often. The pandemic and this winter time continues to bring depression and other concerns, but overall, there is so much power to change that.

Erin Myers said...

Phoenix J.:

My freshman and sophomore year, I made so many black friends. We would hang out in the MUC and talk about a vast number of topics, help each other in school, and be there for each other. I think that that is very important for new students. Me getting to know so many different people that looked like me and understood me was amazing. I think that making good connections is a challenge because people are afraid to come out, shy or not enough room to meet.

Erin Myers said...

Dasmin W.:

Being a psych major, the first thing I thought about during this reading was their mental state. I can not imagine working next to a dead body let alone it being a friend of mines. It saddens me to think about the mental health of slaves and how it still impacts African Americans today.

Anonymous said...

Noah Phillips:

The most important aspect I could say about the pandemic and the representation of black students on campus as a whole is the lack of time that we are given to be able to socialize, grow, and feather the flame of cultural diversity amongst the school. With tight restrictions and the pandemic, we are not always encouraged to be outgoing or speak up whenever we see a friend in the halls. Rather we scurry back to our rooms and lock our doors here at SIUE. As a transfer student I have experienced the fellowship of an HBCU more specifically Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. And the biggest difference I can identify is the lack of friendhsip amongst peers and it feels less and less like a family and more like and organization here.

Noah Phillips

Erin Myers said...

Fatima B.:

I think the biggest challenge is meeting other black students and other students of color in general. I know for me, the pandemic started at the same time I started graduate school, so it felt very isolating. Being on zoom and looking at my class of 70 kids and only seeing 2 other black kids can make you feel like you don't fit in. I think we need to keep pushing for black students and people of color to go to graduate school. The ratio of minorities was significantly higher in my undergrad classes.

David Bankole said...

Resources and support. Throughout the pandemic everyone especially African-Americans felt the effect of food shortages and inflation. Today it is even harder to afford basic needs such as groceries and gas. Not stressing as much about affording necessities would help a lot of students. Another challenge is being on zoom and looking at my class of 70 kids and only seeing 2 other black kids can make you feel like you don't fit in.

Erin Myers said...

Mahlik G.:

The pandemic has highlighted the need for black students to be supported and provided opportunities to develop community. Community includes not only other students/peers but also staff and faculty who are willing to serve as available mentors. Commonly, black students at four-year institutions are first-generation, meaning that they don’t have the generational knowledge of the what tos and how tos, the pandemic didn’t help! Many students were shuffled into colleges as first time freshmen without the necessary support and understanding of what to expect and what was needed. Just take a look at SIUC.

Erin Myers said...

Victoria C.:

Mental health is a big challenge that needs to be addressed. Just based on life, it seems to me that black people are less likely to seek out professional mental health help as opposed to white people. Even connecting with our peers that are probably going through the same thing becomes a challenge.

Erin Myers said...

Nijay S.:

I think one of the important challenges to discuss at SIUE concerning black students are having more resources granted to them. What I mean by that is I feel we should have more groups centered towards black people in all majors, so we could feel more comfortable and have a place to go to.

Erin Myers said...

Lexis L.:

A problem that the people of color of SIUE struggle with the most would be is connecting with other people of color. Especially with COVID-19 minimizing certain events on campus, there are not as many ways to connect with others. People of color do not get the full-on college experience especially freshmen and sophomores because everything is limited on what can happen on campus as opposed to pre-covid times.

Erin Myers said...

Keiahjah M.:

I’ll definitely say resources and support this school doesn’t have a lot of support to me for it begin my first semester here there wasn’t any help for real it was always every man for them self and I wasn’t use of that coming from an HBCU. And I just wish we had more support more help groups because I feel my semester would’ve went way better and lack of communication here I didn’t understand that either.