Being White at a Black College: An Interview


SUjagTILLiDIE

SUjagTILLiDIE

Well-Known Member
Being White at a Black College: An Interview
Posted: 07/31/2012 7:14 pm

This post was co-authored with Rob Shorette, a Ph.D. student at Michigan State University.

At many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) throughout the country, the student population is changing. The numbers of Latino, Asian, and White students are on the rise. Although most HBCU presidents are welcoming these students, some alumni are often not as excited to see the faces at their alma mater changing. However, other alumni and many students see the growing racial diversity on HBCU campuses as a plus, noting that it is time for non-Blacks to see the attributes and witness the strengths that HBCUs offer in terms of higher education. And, those non-Blacks that are attending HBCUs often serve as ambassadors for HBCUs, enjoying their experience and sharing it with others. I recently met Rob Shorette, who is a Ph.D. student focused on American higher education, and found out that he when to an HBCU. Rob is a White male from California. Often people are curious about a White person's decision to attend Florida A&M University, so I thought an interview about his decision and experience would be informative and enlightening.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marybeth-gasman/being-white-at-a-black-college_b_1713729.html
 



this was a good article...the comments were great also. The reverse...I have horror stories...and still haven't given a dime to that PWC...even when they chose me Alumnus of the Year...
 
We had some canadian females on campus that I was pretty cool with and I felt bad for them for how many times I heard dudes openly call them "snowbunny"
 
Snowbunny? Said on TSPN before. But I'm sure the folks around me got upset--marginally at least--when they were calling me a N I gga also. Bet they didn't unfriend the person though...
 
chocalate_topaz said:
Snowbunny? Said on TSPN before. But I'm sure the folks around me got upset--marginally at least--when they were calling me a N I gga also. Bet they didn't unfriend the person though...
Click to expand...

It's one thing to say it, it is another thing to say "hey snowbunny, come holla atcha boy," like it is an appropriate word to use. We had some cats on campus who acted like they had never been around white people before.
 
jsupop33 said:
It's one thing to say it, it is another thing to say "hey snowbunny, come holla atcha boy," like it is an appropriate word to use. We had some cats on campus who acted like they had never been around white people before.
Click to expand...

seen that show...many felt N I gga was appropriate. Just saying...the racism and angst is present at both...HBCUs seem to be way more welcoming though...
 
chocalate_topaz said:
seen that show...many felt N I gga was appropriate. Just saying...the racism and angst is present at both...HBCUs seem to be way more welcoming though...
Click to expand...

I can agree. I hung out at Ole Miss a good bit and it is a different atmosphere. I will say Southern Miss and Mississippi State seemed to be pretty accommodating for us.

My grad school experience at George Mason was pretty free from all that. It was like the United Nations in those classes. George Mason has a gang of International kids. There were classes I had where the international students outnumbered the Americans. There were very, very, few African American males in my program (probably less than 10) but we had our fair share of Africans.
 
jsupop33 said:
I can agree. I hung out at Ole Miss a good bit and it is a different atmosphere. I will say Southern Miss and Mississippi State seemed to be pretty accommodating for us.

My grad school experience at George Mason was pretty free from all that. It was like the United Nations in those classes. George Mason has a gang of International kids. There were classes I had where the international students outnumbered the Americans. There were very, very, few African American males in my program (probably less than 10) but we had our fair share of Africans.
Click to expand...

This is a huge source of angst for me...I don't know what it takes to get through to the AA male...and I just don't see enough AA males trying to anymore.
 
Great article. I have also heard the same thing from my peers from different races who have attended HBCU's.
 
Found it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marybeth-gasman/being-white-at-a-black-college_b_1713729.html


At many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) throughout the country, the student population is changing. The numbers of Latino, Asian, and White students are on the rise. Although most HBCU presidents are welcoming these students, some alumni are often not as excited to see the faces at their alma mater changing. However, other alumni and many students see the growing racial diversity on HBCU campuses as a plus, noting that it is time for non-Blacks to see the attributes and witness the strengths that HBCUs offer in terms of higher education. And, those non-Blacks that are attending HBCUs often serve as ambassadors for HBCUs, enjoying their experience and sharing it with others. I recently met Rob Shorette, who is a Ph.D. student focused on American higher education, and found out that he when to an HBCU. Rob is a White male from California. Often people are curious about a White person's decision to attend Florida A&M University, so I thought an interview about his decision and experience would be informative and enlightening.

--------------------

Marybeth: Some people are probably surprised that you went to FAMU, an historically Black university, because you are White. Why did you decide to go to FAMU and what were some of your other choices?

Rob: At the time I chose to go to FAMU, I was actually in the middle of a complicated transfer situation. I had essentially completed a year's worth of transferrable coursework from a community college in California and was transferring to be closer to my parents because my father had been diagnosed with a severe form of multiple sclerosis (MS). My parents had recently moved to Tallahassee, so home just happened to be Tallahassee, Florida. My choice for college revolved around two priorities: what I perceived to be a good situation to play football at the college level (which was my first priority as a young, naïve jock) and smaller class sizes (I apparently had SOME good sense!). I had only two options in Tallahassee: Florida State University and Florida A&M University. FAMU met all of my criteria, so I enrolled and began classes and football practice in January of 2005. Looking back, I can honestly say that I had NO idea what I was getting myself into and was not choosing to attend FAMU with any of the historically or culturally significant aspects of the institution in mind that, ultimately, would transform me into the person I am today.

Marybeth: What was your experience like academically at FAMU?



Rob: My academic experience at FAMU contributed greatly to my intellectual development in ways that I was somewhat oblivious to during my time there. Many aspects of my education that were supremely influential to my development, I seemed to have absorbed naturally and almost assumed it was what everyone was learning in college, such as the fact that books from authors like Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston served as the primary texts in my English courses, the fact that I was hearing my classmates provide diverse African-American perspectives in every class on my schedule, the fact that I was participating regularly in discussions that challenged me to think differently about the issues of people of color, and the list goes on. Additionally, my professors, department chairs, and deans were all intimately involved in ensuring my success. I had close relationships with the professors and administrators of my programs and, to this day, maintain great friendships with many of them. They were the ones who encouraged me to think about graduate school and nudged me into the path that I am on today. It wasn't until my last semester or two that I became more aware of the uniqueness of my college experience, both in and out of the classroom (relative to many predominantly white institutions). I see the world differently now and it is because of the academic preparation FAMU provided me that I can excel in different environments.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top