Cultural Assignment!

This semester my organization S.M.A.R.T (Student Minority Recruitment Team) required that I attend a program called S.M.A.R.T Talks. S.M.A.R.T is an organization composed of minority student who recruit other minority student to attend Penn State University. This is done through large events such as Spend A Fall Day and Achiever’s Weekend. This specific S.M.A.R.T talk was held on a Monday in the Shields building where our general body meetings take place.

            During the S.M.A.R.T talks we place our seats in a circle so we are facing each other. No one is allowed to sit in the middle. After all of this is set up a member felicitates questions. This was a second time I attended an event such as this. I knew what to expect and the specific direction the talk could take. After the SMART talks I was walked away pondering the several questioned asked during. They are never a disappointment. I especially liked that during these talks I got to interact with our members. Also it was interesting to hear other perspectives of the transition into the Penn State University community.

This specific talk was focused around how it feels to be a minority at Penn State University. During this talk I learned several facts for instance there is a high percentage of Hispanics on this campus than there are Blacks. It was also interesting to hear how others classified them selves. For instance when applying to colleges on my applications I was told to but my race down as what my fathers race is.  However I don’t classify my self as just Black. I classify my self as both Hispanic and Black being that my Mother is from Ecuador and my father is an African American. During this talk I found there was a grey area in the statics because in which category do I fall under. There was another girl is from Jamaica born and raised. She considered her race Jamaican. Thus furthering the confusion between the race and ethnicity. Although I learned race is classified, as the color of your skin and ethnicity is your cultural background. Another topic that came up during the talks was the issue of tuition for minority students. That hit home for me as well because my parents are basically paying the full out of state tuition for me to attend Penn State University.

To further enrich my experience I would have like the S.M.A.R.T talks to be longer than hour. Toward the end of the talk I felt like those who were talking were rushed and did not fully get to express their opinions. Also I think it would great to involve other organizations with members of other ethnic and race back grounds.

            Overall I enjoyed my experience. SMART talks will be something I will continue to attend in the future.  I really enjoyed hearing other minority stories and knowing I am not the only one who had a hard time adjusting.

*Handed in a hard of my other Cultural Assignment. Which was about Vagina Monologues.