Bridging the Gap
Strengthening diversity on campuses
The college experience should be one that celebrates diversity. To help make that a reality, colleges and universities want to make sure that multicultural, international, and minority students are not only attracted to the academic programs the school offers, but also find the campus and student body to be welcoming. Services created for minority enrollees are committed to making all students feel at home and ensuring that the campus is a place of new people and new ideas. For interested minority students, here's a brief breakdown of what you can expect and how to get in on the action.Stretching far beyond the realm of financial aid packages, minority student services are designed to support the whole student. Though no two programs are exactly the same, most minority services departments offer something to support the academic, monetary, intellectual, and social needs of students from diverse backgrounds.
To provide support in the classroom, many schools offer free tutoring, academic advising, and/or an educational resource center through the college's Diversity Office. Additional outside learning opportunities may include guest speakers, film festivals, concert series, workshops, and conferences with an eye towards educating the student body about other cultures and experiences.
Social and emotional support can be found through peer mentoring, student organizations (including fraternities and sororities) with a minority focus, specialized learning communities, and school-sponsored social events.
Now let's talk dollars. You may be eligible for certain private and corporate scholarships, fellowships, grants, or work placement programs. Your school's financial aid office will be able to provide you with a list of available funding; through Web sites such as FinAid.org, Black Excel, The Minority Scholarships Guide, and Lgbtcampus.org, you can comb through national financial aid packages.
Since diversity programs vary drastically between schools, the best place to find out about what's offered near you is to contact your university's Student Affairs office. If you'd like to join the college branch of a national minority organization, contact their national office to find the chapter nearest you.
Christina Couch is a freelance writer based in Richmond, Virginia. She is the author of Virginia's Complete College Resource (Palari Publishing, 2007). Her byline can also be found on Aol.com, Msn.com, Yahoo! Finance, and the Christian Science Monitor. She can be contacted at couchcs@gmail.com.
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