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35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Today's Black Collegians: VIEWS
Extended online feature from TBC's 35th
Anniversary Super Issue
By
Shawn Chollette
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THE PARTICIPANTS
 Dianika Abbott is a graduating senior double majoring in
communications and Afro-ethnic studies at California State
University-Fullerton. She serves as the arts and entertainment editor
for Cal State Fullerton’s The Daily Titan. She also serves as a copy
editor for the campus magazine, Tusk. |
 Nikki Bannister is a senior mass communication major at Southern
University. The South East Journalism Conference student journalist of
the year serves as editor in chief of Southern’s Digest. |
| Gregory Brandt is a senior speech communication and theatre double
major at Tennessee State University. He serves as a senior editor at
TSU’s Meter. |
| Fia Curley is a master’s candidate in mass communications at Ohio
University in Athens, Ohio. She also served as a student writer for the
college of communication. |
 Mike Grant is a senior at Grambling State University. The mass
communication major serves as the managing editor for the award-winning
campus newspaper, The Gramblinite. |
 Shauntel Lowe is a junior at the University of California, Los
Angeles. An English and political science double major, she also serves
as science and health editor for the campus’ Daily Bruin. |
Do you believe students on your campus are taking college seriously?
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| Dianika Abbott- There’s a mixture of both. There are some
people who are very serious about their education. They go to every
class, study and get good grades. Then there are those who are in school
to socialize. |
| Nikki Bannister - I don't think it's an option for students to not
take class seriously at Southern. I believe the scrutiny and criticism
that have been directed at Southern forces (in a good way) students to
apply themselves more. |
| Gregory Brandt- A little of both, actually. But there are probably
more not studying seriously because we’ve been losing students at an
alarming rate. |
| Fia Curley- A little of both, actually. But there are probably more not studying seriously
because we’ve been losing students at an alarming rate. |
| Mike Grant - There are students actively pursuing education and
those that are just doing enough to scrape by here at Grambling. It's
just a part of the college experience. |
| Shauntel Lowe- Many Black students at UCLA are in the math and
science departments, so they spend a lot of time studying. Because there
are fewer Black students here, and this is a prestigious university, I
think the Black students take their education more seriously. |
[top]
Are more undergrads considering grad school?
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| Dianika Abbott- For the most part, it seems as though the
majority of the people I talk to or interview are hoping to attend grad
school. |
| Nikki Bannister - More undergrads are thinking more about
attending grad school because, in my opinion, they haven't got a plan. I
think students need to take advantage of their career services offices
and apply themselves more. |
| Gregory Brandt- ------ |
| Fia Curley- As for graduate school, most students are content to
get past the undergraduate level. |
| Mike Grant - Yes! The value of a bachelor's is just not the same as
it once was. That, coupled with the fact that many students feel
unprepared by the time they graduate, makes grad school an option for
many. |
| Shauntel Lowe- I think more are seriously considering grad school
because of the need to have more education in an ultra-competitive job
market. |
[top]
Do students keep tabs on political issues? What issues concern them?
|
| Nikki Bannister - I really do admire how students are better
informed with politics, especially in Louisiana. Everything revolves
around politics here, so in a sense, one can’t help but keep tabs. |
| Dianika Abbott- Some of the issues that are big at our school
are educational funding (Gov. Schwarzenegger is killing us with the
budget), illegal immigration, clean-air bills, abortion, environmental
issues and gay rights. |
| Gregory Brandt- Yes. |
| Fia Curley- Ohio University is a liberal campus, so anything the
administration does causes an uproar, and leaves students counting down
the days until November 2008. The Katrina aftermath, Patriot Act, and
ports deals have people talking. |
| Mike Grant - The government response to Katrina was a huge concern. I also
think they are concerned with the rising costs of tuition. |
| Shauntel Lowe- Being in an academic setting makes students tune in
more to political issues, especially those surrounding Hurricane Katrina
and higher education. In California right now, we are dealing with
budget cuts in education, with outreach programs to minorities taking a
big hit. |
[top]
Do many students attend church or Bible study? Or, do you find more
eschewing religious affiliations?
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| Dianika Abbott - There are a couple of Christian organizations on
campus that have weekly Bible classes, and a lot of the Black Students
attend various different churches in the surrounding areas. And there
are also a lot of students who are Muslim, Buddhist and other religions
of the like...[However,] in the last couple of years, I’ve noticed a
large number of students who are totally disgusted by the traditional
religion. Some students don’t attend church and find other “spiritual”
outlets. |
| Nikki Bannister - There are numerous campus organizations and choirs
catering to individuals religious beliefs...I see a lot of college kids
going to church. So I think more are tuned into their spirituality
through religious services. |
| Gregory Brandt- Yep. There are…too many Bible Study groups on the
yard. There is one for everybody. |
| Fia Curley- I would say the majority of students do not attend
church weekly. It seems that the majority don't even talk about religion
or God. It's like an I-really-have-God or don't-care vibe. |
| Mike Grant - More people are leaving the religious stuff... I think
it simply has a lot to do with comfort. In the South, many folks are
trying to get you in their church. Nothing wrong with that, but it gets
tiring. I start to think, "am I just a number, a dollar in the
collection plate?" It turns people off... people have common sense and
know when people are up to something. |
| Shauntel Lowe- Fraternities, sororities and student groups often
hold events that involve going to church, gospel music or other
religious activities. Many students do attend church regularly. |
[top]
What's dating like on campus?
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| Dianika Abbott - There are so few Black students on campus, the
men-to-women ratio is not equal at all. So the majority of the time, we
don't date each other. |
| Nikki Bannister - There are so many same-sex relationships on this
campus, that I wonder what the plight of a 20-25 year old woman trying
to find a husband must be like...It’s more of a just “kicking it scene”
because with so few males on campus there are very few committed
relationships. |
| Gregory Brandt- There is a three-to-one ratio of women to men here.
So there are lots of lonely women. The amount of "just kicking it" is a
little scary. A lot of guys aren't faithful and the women seem to accept
it. |
| Fia Curley- There are more women than men, especially in grad
school, so the pickings are slim. [It’s] an aggressive dating
scene with females taking more initiative because “good males” seem to
be in short supply. |
| Mike Grant - There are not enough eligible men, which really puts a
damper on dating for women. And while it's easy for the guys to find
"the honeys," women are generally sad-faced and alone. I think things
are turning so aggressive these days that "just kicking it," as opposed
to dating, is the safest way for people to keep their options open. |
| Shauntel Lowe- A good portion of the Black men at UCLA are
athletes, many of whom fall into the stereotypical role of mainly dating
non-Black women. However, it is not common to see Black women with men
of other races. |
[top]
What are collegians doing for entertainment?
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| Dianika Abbott - Personally, I'm interested in going to poetry
clubs, concerts, movies, shopping. |
| Nikki Bannister - The usual college things: parties, school events,
and they hang out. |
| Gregory Brandt- Video games are high ranking on my campus. Some
folks still run to the nightclubs, too. |
| Fia Curley- There's not much to do in Athens, so a majority of the
students go to bars and get drunk for fun. |
| Mike Grant - Most students have fun watching DVDs of their favorite
television shows, going out to the club or spending a lot of time
frequenting websites such as Myspace and Facebook. |
| Shauntel Lowe- The typical forms of college entertainment
(partying, going to movies, shopping, comedy shows, etc.) are prevalent
here. Being in Los Angeles, there are lots of opportunities to try
different things. |
[top]
Are students concerned about finding a job after college?
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| Dianika Abbott - Yes, students especially graduating seniors are
concerned about life after college |
| Nikki Bannister - No, they all have good looks, so they say. |
| Gregory Brandt- Yes. |
| Fia Curley- While some students seem to have the inside connection
via a parent or friend of a parent, there are just as many who are
without and concerned about the job market. |
| Mike Grant - Yep, when it's too late. |
| Shauntel Lowe- Students are definitely concerned about finding jobs
that will allow them to live comfortably in the expensive cities of
California. |
[top]
Are students focused on graduating on time?
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| Dianika Abbott - Although some students graduate from CSUF in four
years, the majority [here] finish in five. |
| Nikki Bannister - I would like to think so…However, there are those
that are afraid of the real world and job uncertainty, who choose to
take their time finishing up. |
| Gregory Brandt- A lot of the students take a little longer than
four years to graduate. |
| Fia Curley- Again, those that are serious about their education and
careers are on the ball. While everyone else just goes with the flow |
| Mike Grant - Personally, I took my sweet time. Few are so focused
that they get out in four years. Most are not threatened by the idea of
spending an extra year in school. |
| Shauntel Lowe- At UCLA, there isn't much room to take your "sweet
time" getting your degree. As is the case with many Black students, the
financial cost of going here plays an important part in determining how
long one will take to get their degree. With tuition and housing costs
rising significantly each year, many students cannot afford to take too
long and instead try and get as much done as quickly as possible. |
[top]
Are students concerned about paying for school?
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| Dianika Abbott - Yes, our fees increase every year and the cost of
living in Orange County is very high. |
| Nikki Bannister - No, financial aid is just around the corner. |
| Gregory Brandt- Yes. |
| Fia Curley- Most students have loans and are more focused on
finishing, than the mounting costs. |
| Mike Grant - Only when the prices go up. |
| Shauntel Lowe- With the rising cost of education and how expensive
it is to live in Los Angeles, many students are concerned about how they
spend their money, |
[top]
Shawn Chollette is a senior journalism and
engineering major at Louisiana Tech University.
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