What is On College Student's Minds These Days

[Dr. Sweet NUPE]

Man....

I was talking to some students here in Arkansas who are from various SWAC schools. They are here for a summer program known as the Carver Program which allows them to be mentored by a professor to introduce them to graduate school. These students are also paid.

Now that the background is taken care of.

Why did one of the students state that her major turn off was that the Hallmark Store in the mall did not carry any African American Cards? When I asked her why didn't she state her distaste....she informed me that she did....by acting a irrate to sales person. I aske her is she spoke to the manager an d she said no. She went on to say that black students here are complacent because we don't voice our dis-taste with certain issues.

Now....what I am pissed at is her reason for not coming here. That was the ONLY reason. I'm like WTF???? A Hallmark card stopped you from attending a school??? Maybe I'm wrong but mannn is this a good enough reason or am I just being to critical of her?

 

[Braveman12]

You are not being critical at all man. The girl just had some identity issues. She probably heard the gossip about Fayetteville and decided to criticize everything that Fayetteville had to offer.

This summer, I had three friends at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. (One of my boys was in the George Washington Carver program) They all went went there to get a feel of the campus in case they decided to go there for graduate school. All three enjoyed the University of Arkansas.

 

[Dr. Sweet NUPE]

Originally posted by Braveman12
You are not being critical at all man. The girl just had some identity issues. She probably heard the gossip about Fayetteville and decided to criticize everything that Fayetteville had to offer.

This summer, I had three friends at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. (One of my boys was in the George Washington Carver program) They all went went there to get a feel of the campus in case they decided to go there for graduate school. All three enjoyed the University of Arkansas.

I spoke to all 3 and none of them told me they were going to come. Yea I met the dude you are talking about....I think he is going to Prarie View.

 

[Braveman12]

Yeah. That's him. I was thinking about U of Ark for grad school as well. How is it in Fayetteville?

 

[Dr. Sweet NUPE]

Fayetteville is cool despite what some people may say who were only here for 6 weeks. See a lot of black students come here expecting to be nutured and babyed (sp). But that ends...here you have to play the game and know the right people. And remember that some of the right people are really not the right people.

Plus you end up hanging out with other people. Like for instance I ride a motorcycle so I hang out with riders sometimes who are white....then I hang out with blacks also. So you have to be diverse and forget what people are going to say about you. Like just tonight I took a white riding on my bike because she asked and stopped to get some gas. I saw 3 black chicks that I knew....spoke to them and rolled their eyes because they thought I was juicing the white chick. So know they think I don't want sisters anymore.

Also, most of the students at the University of Arkansas are from Arkansas. Unlike HBCUs there are students from everywhere. So most of these kids knew each other in high school. So it's really no change for them. Now I would not live here after I earn my PhD. My dream is to be president of GSU.

 

[Braveman12]

That's cool man. Best of luck with that. I heard that Arkansas had great programs of study. I was thinking of going there for my Masters in Operations Management through the College of Engineering, but I decided to go to North Carolina A&T.

In case things don't come though for me at NCA&T, I will keep U of Ark in mind.

 

[JROCK]

We are not a monolithic people. What is good for one AA student may not be for another. The young person may have felt your campus was not "user friendly" based on HER assessment. In the final analysis, she must live with her decision. I would not take it personal. Fayetteville may be in some eyes not black enough, too rurural and have too many mosqutoes for some and just right for others..........Peace.