Taming the River provides a refreshing insight on the struggles of black students within the world of academia. Many analysts reduce the discrepancies between black students and white students as a simple socioeconomic problem that leaves pupils of African descent with a lack of resources. As I read Taming the River, I was pleasantly surprised that the authors chose to delve deeper into the experience of black students in competitive universities and focus on the variety of factors that affect their success in such a unique environment. I found this analysis to be particularly informative because it managed to highlight the way in which the social, financial, and racial obstacles black students face are often interconnected. These overlapping …show more content…
These observations are important because they helped me realize the two main elements of black students’ lives that make their experience remarkably different than that of their white peers. Black students face additional social stress and the threat of living up to stereotypes about their race. These extra hardships can make their college experience even more burdensome which, in turn, affects their academic success. As I continued to read about the seemingly endless amount of hardships black students face in colleges and universities I became discouraged at finding an adequate solution that would allow them to strive in the same manner as their white peers. I could not have agreed more with the resolve to hold universities accountable for creating an environment that is conducive to the success of black students, cultivates inclusion, and works to destroy the negative stereotypes or doubts about the aptitude of every black …show more content…
I am not used to being in predominately white environments for prolonged periods of time and I realize the feeling of ostracization can affect a student’s academic prosperity. Research shows that “having larger number of black and Latino friends tends to reduce grade performance” (143). Of course the amount of black or brown friends one has does not directly cause a lower GPA. However, these findings prove that an inability to effectively assimilate into white environments can cause black students to have negative perceptions about their academic pursuits. In my high school, my friends and I were “big fish in a little pond”. Public schools do not create the particularly competitive environment found in many elite private and boarding schools. I have repeatedly pondered whether I will be able to perform amongst such an ambitious student body. I doubt my public school education has prepared me to compete with students coming from some of the best high schools in the
“College campuses are not dominated by widespread racial/ethnic segregation and the racial/ethnic clustering that does occur isn’t impeding intergroup contact.” (578, Hoeffner and Hoeffner). Throughout the essay, the writer continues to provide facts and sources on the information that diversity is not a problem on college campuses. She quotes evidence that states that college students are getting a “variety of positive educational outcomes that result from being educated in a diverse environment.” (578, Hoeffner and Hoeffner).
Stewart’s essay “The Field and Function of Black Studies”, he implies that black history is dominated by continuing challenges by its critics and the weak attachment of many scholars to the black studies movement and to black studies units even when the research of such scholars examines the black experience (pg. 45). Statistics show that 70.2 percent indicated that the number of full-time faculty members who have appointments outside black studies and another academic units is stable, proving the fact that black studies has established a beachhead in higher education. This statistic demonstrates how things have been stable in terms of growing the teachings of black studies, which causes challenges. A challenge that can be seen from this issue, is the lack of financial support available to faculty and students. Small budgets are provided to Black Study departments at many universities, therefore, making it difficult to purchase materials and hire more educated, experienced staff
In this brief report, I will be examining common practices, policies and resources that support Black women attending Princeton University. Included is a brief review of national averages in regards to higher education attainment and a rationale for continued rhetoric on this topic. My interest in this topic stem from my experience at State University’s Women Studies Program. While the conversation around gender is necessary and crucial, little attention was given to discussions of how race and gender affect an individual’s lived experience. I was constantly aware of my lack of representation among students who were in those classes and the faculty who taught.
Over the years there has been a significant decrease in the percentage of African American male success in higher education. Not only does this effect society as a whole, but more importantly this effects the African- American community as well. The high percentage of uneducated African- American males will result in increased crime rate, shortened life span and overall hard life. However this epidemic can be stopped by looking at the contributing factors of why there is a decrease in African-American male success in higher education and how to change it. Throughout the paper I will be addressing the issues as to why there are not more black men in higher education, by looking at the contributing factors such as environmental stressors, student’s perceptions, racial identity issues, academic and social integration, family upbringing and the media. The attrition rate of African- American male students could be changed and decreased drastically. Increasing our understanding of these differences would enable us to better meet the needs of young black men.
Page 12 is the beginning of the chapter “The River”. Dana is transported back to where rufus (currently name is unknown) is drowning in a river, his mother is at the bank in a panic. Dana drags rufus to shore and proceeds to save his life by giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation. She is returned to the present when his father arrives and puts a large gun in her face. Dana is returned home at this point where only a couple of seconds have passed for her husband Kevin (Note that dana reappears soaking and mud covered). The next chapter is titled “The Fire”. Once Dana is taken back to rufus’ time she finds rufus to be a couple years older than before. He has lit the drape on fire to get back at his father but became scared once he realised it
As cliché as it sounds, it is true that many African American students come from very harsh and poverty stricken environments. They tend to go to under resourced schools as well that do not provide the proper knowledge for them to further their education. And even worse, these schools tend to be segregated since they are usually in the harsher parts of a neighborhood. Sadly, it’s the segregated schools are one of the main reasons why black students decide not to go on to pursue a higher education. According to "The Way Out of the Black Poverty Cycle", a black student that attends an integrated suburban school is six times more likely to graduate compared to a segregated under resourced school. An African Americans family structure and the opinions of family members affects if their decision to further their education as well. Many African American children grow up un...
Clearly, HBCUs provide several benefits to African-American students. Not only have they helped to combat the cycle of discrimination that minority students experienced before the civil rights initiatives of the 1960s, but they strive to provide a warm, supportive and inclusive academic environment that addresses African-American college students as a whole person. Additionally, HBCUs are increasing their efforts to ensure that higher education is accessible, affordable and achievable for individuals with unique socioeconomic challenges. Despite obstacles, historically Black institutions will continue to play a vital and significant role in the fabric of higher education.
The novel River God by Wilbur Smith is set in Ancient Egypt, during a time when the kingdoms were beginning to collapse and the Upper and Lower Egypt were separated between two rulers. The story is in the view-point of Taita, a highly multi-talented eunuch slave. At the beginning of the story, Taita belongs to Lord Intef and helps manage his estate along with caring for his beautiful daughter, Lostris. She is in love with Tanus, a fine solider and also Taita’s friend. Unfortunately, Lord Intef despises Tanus’s father, Lord Harrab, and Intef was actually the one who the cause of the fall of Harrab’s estate, unknowingly to Lostris and Tanus. Taita’s goal is to bring back Egypt to its former glory, but with so many bandits and invaders it would be a difficult task.
“Nationally, more than one-quarter of the students in the 1930s were black. Yet they received only about one-tenth of the total education revenues. Many Americans believed that African Americans were simply not capable of excelling in school” (“The 1930’s education…”). For colored women, it was more difficult to prove their abilities than any other race. For example, Asian women were not affected as much simply because their skin color was closer to that of a white’s than a black person. As black women were treated unequally in the education department, white women have also struggled in getting a higher education. “They gave young women a chance to gain the same kinds of education as their brothers without having to spend much of their time and energy fighting the prejudice they would have faced at male-dominated institutions. At the same time, they provided a proving-ground in which college administrators, professors, and students could demonstrate that women could flourish intellectually while remaining healthy and ladylike.” (“The Value
As a result of HBCU’s being predominantly black, many people refer to HBCU’s as a waste of time. Many people say that they do not prepare you for the real world. They argue that HBCU’s are not preparing you to face what life will throw at you. For Example, if you were the minority or if you were facing something you’ve never experienced. I can completely understand why they would believe that. The majority of students are African American but HBCU’s are very open to accepting anyone no matter what their race or ethnicity. Every student that attends a HBCU leaves with confidence, knowledge, and power to overcom...
The final chapter starts of by stating it has become summer. Peter than asks if he can go to the pond only with cole.when they get to the pond cole told peter that he was glad they could finally be friends but peter knocks his hand down and says they will never be friends.Cole tries to explain to peter that he didn't mean to hurt him then peter pushes him and knocks him to the ground. Peter doesn't believe that he didn't mean to do it so he pushes him again. Peter says that cole would beat him up again if he had they chance but cole shake his head and says I could beat you up right now but he won't because he has changed. Peter bent down pretending to tie his boot and when cole got close he spring up and pushed cole sending him to the ground.cole
The relationship you have with others often has a direct effect on the basis of your very own personal identity. In the essay "On The Rainy River," the author Tim O'Brien tells about his experiences and how his relationship with a single person had effected his life so dramatically. It is hard for anyone to rely fully on their own personal experiences when there are so many other people out there with different experiences of their own. Sometimes it take the experiences and knowledge of others to help you learn and build from them to help form your own personal identity. In the essay, O'Brien speaks about his experiences with a man by the name of Elroy Berdahl, the owner of the fishing lodge that O'Brien stays at while on how journey to find himself. The experiences O'Brien has while there helps him to open his mind and realize what his true personal identity was. It gives you a sense than our own personal identities are built on the relationships we have with others. There are many influence out there such as our family and friends. Sometimes even groups of people such as others of our nationality and religion have a space in building our personal identities.
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. (2006).Black Student College Graduation Rates Remain Low, But Modest Progress Begins to Show. Retrieved from: http://www.jbhe.com/features/50_blackstudent_gradrates.html
Recently, I shocked my peers here at the College of Wooster by telling them that in my hometown we play “Paper Scissors Rock” as opposed to “Rock Paper Scissors,” and we call shopping carts “buggies.” However, nothing surprises them as much as the fact that I had less than 240 students in my public high school. To many of them a school that small seems irrational, and they struggle to understand how I could have possibly received a quality education at such a school. What they fail to comprehend is that a school does not have to be a large public school or an elite private school in order to provide students with an education that will prepare them for the future. With a strong teaching staff and an emphasis on high performing academics, even the smallest of schools can develop great pupils.
Prejudice and discrimination exist as persistent manifestations of derisory power. Communities across the country are regularly deflated by untenable biases ripping at the seams of an individual’s psychological and social existence. These tendencies and biases effect on college campuses worldwide. The last century is warped with academic institution’s transformation from white exclusivity to an opportunity welcome to people from all gender, racial, disability backgrounds. From the outside looking in, it could seem that higher education stands isolated from the animosity and harms of larger society. Institutions however, are reflecting and struggling with the same social biases and historical struggle for inclusion. Only recently has higher