By SHANNA GHAZNAVI
Students from minority cultures face problems of loneliness and stereotypical thinking. But they are not much different from the majority of BYU students.
Richelle Andersen, On-campus Education Coordinator of BYU’s Multicultural Office wants to break down the barriers separating cultures.
“BYU is not a melting pot — it’s a stew,” Andersen said.
Andersen is currently in charge of a program which will highlight a different culture on campus every month. This month Hispanic culture is being featured. Andersen said she hopes that the program will help to provide education on the various cultures.
Since most students at BYU share a common religious culture, Andersen said she does not think most people on campus realize what a diverse community inhabits BYU. She said there are currently over 2,000 multicultural and international students on campus.
Theodore H. Okawa, assistant international advisor of International Services, said he thinks all students face the problem of loneliness when they first arrive on campus. He said some people are outgoing and some are reserved; their level of sociality depends on what kind of person they are, not what their cultural background is.
Ruth Stubbs is a junior from Fallon, Nevada, majoring in social work. Stubbs is Hispanic and an employee of Multicultural Student Services. Stubbs feels that some people think of her stereotypically because of her race. She says she does not have to deal with discrimination but that many people make assumptions about her based on her being Hispanic. Most of those people don’t realize they are being prejudiced, she said.
Stubbs said she feels “pushed to be in the multicultural group” by others. Stubbs, who grew up in America, said that her Caucasian friends assume she would prefer to be with others from her culture.
The Multicultural Office acts as a bridge between students and the various services available to them.
“Race should not be the determining factor for any advantage,” Andersen said. “Other criteria need to be heavily weighed.”
Okawa said minority students from other countries are less sensitive to cultural issues, than are minority students who are U.S. citizens or who were raised in the United States.
He said international students usually have the most cultural problems during national holidays, such as Thanksgiving, which have little significance to them. However, Okawa said, many international students are invited to roommates’, or friends’ homes for holidays.
The Multicultural Office will highlight Pacific Island, Native American and East Indian cultures in upcoming months.
