A fulfilling undergraduate experience should extend past academics to issues of importance that will remain with the lives of students for years to come. We may not remember all material from classes taken, but we will remember our relationships with others and how they helped shape who we are today. That experience is broadened and strengthened through interpersonal reactions reflecting cultural diversity. On a campus with so much to offer, this may be less possible than one might imagine.
Interacting with students from different cultural, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds widens our knowledge on issues that arise with these cultures, as well as preparing us for a world beyond graduation where this becomes essential. Regardless of the chosen career path, there is no escaping these interactions. While the University of Wisconsin-Madison does offer this cultural variety, it may be less accessible than we hope. Issues of cultural variance seem to be undermined and often thrown under the rug. While it may be easier to tell a person’s race by the color of their skin, it is less obvious to relate with those of different religions, ethnicities and social classes. Separately, these may make one seem like a minority, but together, one might come to appreciate that there are students in the same position as themselves. The dilemma evolves when it comes to how to deal with these issues.
Expanding these experiences with those of varying cultures is not as simple as joining student organizations or social groups for a higher rate of exposure. Additionally, forcing students into this would be counterproductive. Two ideas come to mind that could be offertory in increasing the diversity of this campus, or at least making students more aware of their surroundings and comfortable enough to engage in it with others. It is through this feeling of understanding with others that the barriers can become broken and relationships can form.
Something essential that can be done is offer introductory survey classes that lecture on all areas of the world where students come from, the socioeconomic breakdown of different ethnic groups, and what religions are especially important to many of the students on this campus. Presenting knowledge of fellow students creates a better understanding and more of a willingness to engage. Another thought that should occur is more interactions in classes. Although adding discussion sections might not be possible with resources and time, more professors should engage students in lecture, which would increase interactions with those who might not have conversed with otherwise. While a simple interaction may seem small and unimportant, every conversation will impact one’s life in some way or another.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has so much to offer students that cannot and should not be taken for granted. With all these resources at our hands, we cannot let the important ones slip through our fingers.
Mary Habschmidt
Senior, dietetics
