Multicultural uplifting minority students for success

By: Joseph Spence, Sr.

Posted: 5/9/08

Entering the Department of Multicultural Student Services, one will find a new dimension. There should be flags flying in the front of this office similar to the United Nations. In this office there is a diversity of cultures interacting, conversing, and blending together. In essence, out of many they are one!

Staffed by a selected mix of counselors, the department provides for the needs of students who stem from various multicultural backgrounds, including Hispanic, Asian-American, American Indian, Caucasian, African-American, economically and academically disadvantaged groups, and other minority cultures and nationalities.

The staff assists students with financial aid difficulties, bilingual communication issues, finding support, and provides services to improve the enrollment and retention of multicultural students. The students find the services to be critical to their studies.

One of the moving forces behind the establishment of the office is Mary Tate-Smith. She provides advice and counseling to students of various nationalities. She can be seen at times helping students with computer work, assisting with relationship strategies, and providing general welfare counseling. She sees the role of the department increasing as the population of minority students continues to grow.

"This office was not always here," said Tate-Smith. "It came about as a result of a sit-in from students needing help and having no place to turn. Minority students were in need of help and the Caucasian teachers could not relate to them. There were student-teacher relationship issues, insensitivity challenges, and a lack of cultural identity which still exist in some ways. The office is needed now more than ever."

Abigail, the main secretary, who is from Puerto Rico, greets students in Spanish and English. Providing preliminary contact with incoming students, she makes referrals to the counselors and other offices.

"Most of the students we assist are from a cross-cultural background," said Abigail. "We are able to assist students with language difficulties; provide them with directions to other offices at MATC, including the services they offer; assist with completion of financial aid packages, and provide counseling on a variety of other issues affecting their welfare."

Services for American Indian students are focused on helping them through recruitment, retention, and graduation at all
four campuses. The assistance includes: admission, program selection, career exploration, academic advising, financial aid assistance, tribal financial aid, class scheduling and student advocacy.

Asian-American students receive help in choosing a program and enrolling at the college. A wide variety of supportive services are offered to help fulfill their educational goals. Services are delivered with cultural sensitivity in a comfortable setting. A trilingual student services specialist who speaks Hmong, Lao, and English assists students as well.

"We are always doing our best for the students from Asia," said
Ay Moua, student advisor. "Academic and cultural barriers are the two main obstacles for the students. There is a feeling of cultural disconnection which affects them, and as a result the liaison with this office is critical." The students love the services and the relationship with their advisors.

"The service is great," said Paying Chia, Hmong student association president, majoring in fashion designing. "We receive assistance with our studies and other cultural events."

Hispanic students are rendered services in a variety of ways, from program selection and registration, to focusing on reaching their educational goals. They are acquainted with the college, academic guidance and advising, referral and interpretation, placement with English as a second language program and crisis intervention with school-related programs.

The office provides two counselors to service the African-American students which is the largest population using the office. "We receive most of our referrals from other students instead of counselors and teachers," states Jason Matthews, counselor. "We are doing more with less and need more help and a larger budget. Also, we are really having great success in the area of retention." Assistance is also rendered with cultural events such as Black History Month.