This weekend I went to an island called Bornholm for a cycling trip. The 48 hours I spent on that island were a very physically challenging and introspective time. I pushed my body to bike 72km at full speed (which was, granted, not very fast but I was putting in my all the entire time).
I lost the group I was cycling with a couple times, so I was cycling up and down ridiculous hills alone, looking out into the farmlands, coastlines and general quietness of Bornholm. It gave me a lot of time to jam out to J.Cole, Alessia Cara and Kehlani, as well as realize the power of determination – I did not know I could or liked to cycle that much. I was so set on catching up to the group that I pushed my body to do things it had never done before. I paid for it with a pulled groin and severe muscle pains the next day (I limped my way to class on Monday and Tuesday) but it was one hundred percent worth it.
I also reflected on my time in Denmark so far and thought about the many things I admire about this country and the program I’m studying at, and came to the conclusion that I really do miss Wellesley.
I miss my peers and professors who constantly challenge and encourage me to be a better student and overall human being.
I miss Wellesley for its diversity.
According to Elizabeth Kiss, president of Agnes Scott College and Chair of the Women’s College Coalition board of directors,
“As a sector, U.S. women’s colleges are cutting-edge models of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic inclusion and success.”
(check out the entire washington post article about diversity in women’s colleges here)
I notice this fact most when I’m in my classes here at DIS. DIS students are all from U.S. colleges and universities, with a mixture of students from state schools, ivy leagues, and small liberal arts colleges.
The gender ratio at this program is I think somewhere close to 7:3 – yes there are dudes here but far far far more girls. So women are the majority in all of my classes (there are no men in my Pregnancy, Birth and Infancy class; surprise.) This is great. I’m used to having a female-energy dominant classroom coming from Wellesley.
But the racial and ethnic diversity here (at DIS and in Denmark) is something far from what I’ve gotten used to at and come to love about W. In three out of my six classes here, I am the only non-white student. I am the only non-American (yes, I have an American passport but I do not consider myself to be American, especially in comparison to my classmates here) in four of my classes. I have never been in this kind of situation before – being such an obvious and stand-out minority in an academic setting.
“Of the top 20 ‘most ethnically diverse’ national liberal arts colleges in the latest U.S. News rankings, one-quarter are women’s colleges…today’s women’s colleges have the lowest median income, the highest percentage of first-generation students and African American students, and the second-highest percentage of Latino students.”
So why is this important? What difference does it make if we’re not all from the same racial, socioeconomic background? Why does it matter that students in a classroom are diverse?
Because it’s other students that have made me think about and want to be more aware about things like financial privilege, racial inequality, national identity, microaggressions, heteronormativity. Yes, we learn from our books and professors but learning (should) exceed the classroom and assigned readings.
Don’t choose Wellesley just for its reputation.
Don’t choose Wellesley just because of its famous alumni.
Don’t choose Wellesley just because it’s listed on “top ____ colleges in the U.S.” lists. if you do look at these lists, which I do too, be aware of what criteria these rankings are based on and ask more questions:
Who makes up the student body? What kind of courses and programs do they offer? What social and cultural groups are available on campus?
My closest friends at Wells are the ones that push me to be more socially aware, to not be sorry for making a good point or asking a question, to check my privilege in more ways than one, to not be afraid to be the only opposing voice in a discussion. They are also the ones that teach me more about being a responsible and respectful human being on this planet on a daily basis. I have learned more about environmental justice, reproductive rights, police brutality and racial representation in the media through conversations in dorm rooms and dining halls than I have in classrooms. That’s the charm of a school like Wellesley.
So I miss it. a lot. but I’m glad I’m away from it to have come to this realization, to better understand the complexity of the world we live in and my place in it.