PAGE 6
Black Student Finds Opportunities
by Gregory Goldsmith
Collegian Staff Writer
When I first thought of going
to college, attending a black in
stitution never entered my mind.
Many of my high school friends
however, were considering it
because they felt they would not
be able to handle the transition
from a predominantly black to an
entirely white world.
I had no problem with this. I
remember something my mother
told me, “Greg, the world is not
all black and the sooner our race
realizes it, the better off we’ll be.”
With this idea in mind, I decided
to attend a predominantly white
university. This, I thought, would
give me the direct exposure to
what I would be dealing with all
my life.
I believe a black student who
fails to attend a white university,
if given the chance, is cheating
“1 think you've had a few too many”
“You kiddin, I can drive
with my eyes closed.”
DRINKING AND DRIVING
CAN KILL A FRIENDSHIP
himself. There is so much to learn
from this experience. I have found
that not all white people are the
same. There are those that tend to
stereotype blacks and then there
are those that ask questions and
“When I chose
Behrend, I really hit
the nail on the
head
don’t pass judgement on my skin
color, but rather, on my
character.
I am often asked why 1 chose
Behrend. I have always had in
mind that I wanted to attend a
college with a great deal of diver
sity and a limited amount of lux
uries. When I chose Behrend, I
really hit the nail on the head. I
wanted a school that could show
Famous last words
FROM FRIENDS TO FRIENDS.
“You’ve had too much to drink,
let me driver
U. S. Department of Transportation
OPINION
THE BEHREND COLLEGIAN
Commentary
me some of the pressures of the
world and would see me as
educated, and black.
Here at Behrend, I can learn
how to deal in a world of white
professionals. I see how whites
act, what they expect, and what
they think. In short, I can see who
they really are.
When I graduated from high
school, many people warned me
about coming this far away from
home. I heard horror stories
about the cold, the uncultured
people, and the boring weekends
in Erie. None of this could change
my mind, since I felt this was a
good opportunity for me to
challenge and explore my' mental
stability and internal strength. It
was time for me to try something
different.
During the summer before com
ing to college I thought about all
of this, and I formulated a plan
At Behrend College
on how to deal with it.
I have really had no problems
with the whites here on campus.
“„.the professors
often seem ap
prehensive about
calling on me. I
wonder if they are
afraid of embar
rassing me, thinking
that I might not
know the answer. 99
The only real problem I have had
is receiving looks as if I were from
another planet. Many people I
met have never come in contact
with a black person, let alone
eaten with one.
It is important that we prove
the stereotypes set up for us are
wrong. Believe it or not, we do
know how to talk, write and carry
on a conversation with more than
a reasonable amount of in
telligence. In time the whites will
see that I am just like them and
the only real difference is that of
my skin color and hair texture.
Many have adjusted' and some
may never.
I am often tested for my reac
tion to certain “ethnic” jokes.
The testers are often surprised
when I laugh. They don’t realize
that I am not laughing with them,
but at them for displaying their ig
norance. They fall into the pro
verbial saying, “Better to be
thought of as ignorant than to
open your mouth and prove it.”
Penn State
Behrend Collegian
Member of The Press Association
Rlsa Click Rod Lucry
News Editor Michael Ross
Feature Editor Paula Maus
Business Manager. Daniel King
Photo Coordinator Napoleon Birch
Advisor Robert DiNicola
Staff
Thomas MUley
Kevin Moore
Barrett Parker
Lisa Pavadore
Julie Potochny
Greg Rathbun
Julie Reynolds
Steve Roney
Jill Bedford Rob Roth
Judy Bush Lisa Scherer
Robbie Colville Michael Shaffer
Kimberly Ford Tammie Starcher
Kurt Freeman Kelly Swisher
Dan Gaston Anne Waskowitz
Gregory Goldsmith Roger Whelan
Dana Gross Michael Wimms
Darlene Kasbee Mark Yeager
REPRESENTED FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY
CASS Student Advertising, Incorporated
-1633 West Central St.
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Mailing Address - Behrend Collegian, Station Road, Erie, PA 16563
Office located in Reed Union Bidding
Office Hours -9 a.m. -5 p.m.; Monday through Friday
Phone: 89&-6221
Opinions expressed by the editors and staff of the Penn State-Behrend Collegian are
not necessarily those of the University Administration, faculty, or the student body.
In the classrooms, I have no
problemns with the other
students. However, the professors
often seem apprehensive about
calling on me. I wonder if they are
afraid of embarassing me, think
ing that I might not know the
answer. I know what 1 am capable
of, and being in a classroom full
of whites, not only does my skin
color stand out, but so does my
intelligence.
Being black at a white college
has awarded me many advan
tages. I am looked after much
more than others and more is of
fered to me. Also, by graduating
from a top white university, I
have a better chance in the
business world than most blacks. I
not only have the degree, but the
experience of working with the
white man. Since the beginning of
my matriculation here, I have
been made aware of who I am.
One thing I think could change
about attending a white university
is the attitude towards blacks. All
we want is a chance. Whites must
not jump to conclusions and
stereotype blacks.
The generation of blacks today
are tired of being caterers and if
the whites don’t realize this, they
are going to be in for a rude
awakening.
OOPS.
You have just become
living proof that
people read
Collegian ads.
Editors
MAY 2, 1985