Panelists describe their experiences as students of color


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(Left to right) Alize Mott-Jones, Kasey Davis, Xaryia Carson, and Alexandra Garay speak in a diversity panel April 4 at the Park Library.

Detroit junior Kasey Davis described an emotional experience she had in a classroom with a professor who was an African American woman.

“We gave a presentation – for 10 points – and after the presentation she gave us feedback,” Davis said. “She told me, ‘you did pretty good, but I expected more out of you as a student of color. You could have done A, B, and C differently because you are representing African Americans. By you being an African American woman, you have to work 10 times harder than other students.’”

Emotions ran high the afternoon of April 4 in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning during a panel discussion highlighting the experiences of students of color at Central Michigan University.

The panel, titled “Hearing Diverse Voices: Students of Color Speak About Their Experiences at CMU,” was created by educational leadership faculty member Matt Johnson, who is the chair of the Multicultural and Diversity Education Council (MDEC), a committee within Academic Senate.

Johnson said the goal of the panel was to help faculty and staff understand the experiences for students of color and to help them become better at interacting with students of color.

The panelists were: 

· Canton senior Alize Mott-Jones

· Detroit junior Kasey Davis

· Grand Rapids freshman Xaryia Carson

· Illinois sophomore Alexandra Garay

Some of the topics discussed included group projects, different expectations from professors and support from faculty and staff.

All four students said they feel anxious when professors tell them to split into groups.

“I know that statistically, groups are less effective when the professor assigns them,” Mott-Jones said. “But when we have to pick our own groups, I can expect to be picked last or have to approach other students to be in their group.”

They also said their ideas are usually ignored or shot down by their group partners.

“When it comes to group assignments, I have to make myself heard,” Davis said. “If I’m the only student of color in a group, my opinions usually get pushed aside. They’ll say to me ‘I like that, but I think we should do this idea instead,’ or ‘I prefer this person’s idea because it’s more organized and it’ll get us a better grade.’”

Carson said she had to "be more out there."

“I had to go out of my way to prove I was capable," Carson said. "I have to do way more to be at the same level as my group members and to be heard by them.”

The students also said their professors treat them differently, as students of color.

“I am taking an English class this semester and there was a problem nobody in class was getting and I got it,” Carson said. “I said the answer and the professor asked if I got it from Sparknotes. I didn’t use Sparknotes though, I just knew it. I felt like she had such low expectations of me.” 

The students said they are often asked to be spokespeople for their entire race.

“If we say something, our entire community is behind us,” Garay said. “I have had to educate my fellow students. It’s not my job to educate them. I have had to hold conversations with my entire class and that’s supposed to be the professor’s job.”

Mott-Jones took a law class and did not know who was a specific lawyer was. 

“The professor said, ‘You should be ashamed of yourself.’ It turns out the lawyer paved the way for the civil rights movement," Mott-Jones said. "We’re expected to not only speak for our community, but know the entire history of our community, which isn’t possible.”

A question from the audience asked how faculty can make students of color feel more comfortable in and out of the classroom. The panel members asked faculty to stand up for students who are being ignored or excluded and to be more considerate of students’ feelings. They also asked that faculty treat students as individuals and not as a spokesperson for any part of their identity.

“As a student, you represent yourself as an individual,” Davis said with tears in her eyes. “Faculty should not look at everyone as a color, but as an individual who is chasing goals and dreams and trying to do their best.”

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