volunteer“Challenges of All Colors – Alumni Share Their Iowa Experience”
Iowa has a long history of welcoming minorities to the halls of higher education: when it opened its doors in 1855, The University of Iowa became the first public university in the nation to admit men and women on an equal basis. Today, while women are no longer in the minority on campus, 9 percent of the University’s nearly 30,000 students are African American, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American. VAL GARR, director of diversity relations and outreach in the UI Office of Admissions and a 1985 UI journalism grad, works with minority alumni in the ASIST (Alumni Seeking Iowa Students) program. In this Voices piece, Garr shares some of their stories.
Two University of Iowa mementos remain powerful symbols of achievement for Rose Heredia. “I MADE IT!!”, says Heredia, a native of Galesburg, Illinois and a 1975 graduate of the University of Iowa with a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education. Heredia is in her 28th year as an educator and currently teaches at Shields Elementary School in Chicago where for the past 10 years she has been the Bilingual Lead Teacher. Heredia gives back to the UI through her participation as an Office of Admissions ASIST volunteer (Alumni Seeking Iowa STudents) and her membership in the Latino Native American Alumni Alliance which is comprised of UI alumni who strive to encourage Latino and Native American students to continue their education. “I will be forever grateful to the University of Iowa for providing me with the opportunity to receive a first class education,” says Heredia. “I was the first person in my immediate family to attend college. I heard about the University of Iowa, and most importantly about Special Support Services [now called Support Service Programs], from Arturo Ramirez, who visited my hometown during my second year of junior college. He encouraged me to apply to the University of Iowa, and the rest, as they say, is history. I applied, and was accepted. As I left home with my typewriter, I was all set for my life at the University of Iowa. Classes were challenging, but I met the challenge.” “When I first attended the University, I was drawn to the "Chicano House," as it was affectionately called. Our cultural center was located at 115 North Clinton Street, right in the heart of the campus. I was able to meet other Latinos, as well as Native Americans, and feel right at home.” As a UI student, Heredia lived in Burge Residence Hall which at the time was an all girls dormitory. Heredia says that living in Burge was a matter of getting used to her independence. “I quickly realized that with freedom comes responsibilities. I could not stay up too late when there were early morning classes to attend. In those days, Burge had different visiting hours for any males who wanted to visit. There were three policies: For Homewood, Illinois native Kia-Rai Pittman, a 1999 graduate of Iowa with a bachelors of science degree in psychology, Iowa was a familiar place because her parents used to bring her brothers to Iowa’s summer basketball camps. “I thought Iowa had a beautiful campus. The distance of the school satisfied my desire to attend school out of state, yet it was close enough for me to go home when I felt like it.” says Pittman. But coming to Iowa felt like culture shock. “Not being able to listen to the music I wanted to hear when I wanted to hear it, I think there was one radio station that played R & B and that was on Friday nights, “ says Pittman. I also went from having my own room at home to sharing a room with two other people my freshman year. I learned that no one was going to take care of me while at college. I learned that you have to go after what you want. If I wanted to succeed while away from home, I had to find people that were going to be supportive of me.” Pittman says the people that made a difference in her life while an Iowa student were her sorority sisters of Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc., the staff at the Women’s Resource & Action Center, and Dr. Virginia Woodard. “My sorors were my support system. The Women's Center gave me the courage to create new programs and Dr. Woodard had a caring spirit and made herself available to help me find the right graduate school program to meet my needs and interests,“ says Pittman. Although Pittman works for the University of Illinois as an Early College Outreach Educator in Cook County, she says her coworkers know that she’s “all about the Black and Gold.” “I have school pride. It’s cool being a Hawkeye!” says Pittman. Glenview, Illinois native Jake Chung (B.A., Elementary Education-minor history, 1996) knew that he wanted to attend a Big Ten School where he really didn’t know anyone. Many of his friends were going to colleges in Illinois, and he wanted to challenge himself and branch out on his own. “I was on the rowing team my freshman year, I joined a political action group, and I even became a member of a fraternity. I knew that failure wasn’t an option and that I was being presented with a tremendous opportunity to develop into a well rounded leader. I quickly realized that I needed some extra assistance as a freshman and I found that additional support from Special Support Services (SSS-now Support Service Programs) during that first school year," says Chung, who is now a principal in a PK-8th grade building for Schaumburg School District 54 and who is a past recipient of the Sallie Mae First Class Teaching Award for the state of Illinois. While at Iowa, Chung was also a peer assistant in SSS where he reached out to support incoming freshmen students by hosting board game night, pizza night, and even putting together an intramural volleyball team. “I always looked upon my peer assistant role as being a way to pay back SSS for the support they gave me,” says Chung. Although Chung has had several faculty and staff members that had a strong impact on his life at Iowa, one in particular has inspired his current teaching practices. “Mary Peterson was a staff member who was a phenomenal motivational speaker and I soaked in as much as I could from her, “ says Chung. “She taught a student leadership class that challenged me to examine who I was and where I wanted to be in a decade. I actually still teach a class on a weekly basis to my 6th, 7th, & 8th graders, and I modeled the class after hers.” Overall, Chung firmly believes that the person that he is today and the achievement that he has amassed today is a direct result of his experiences at Iowa. “I could not have replicated any of my experiences at any other university. You just have to see what Iowa has to offer on a first hand basis and then seize the opportunities presented,” says Chung. TeNille Carey firmly believes that she was predestined by God to attend the University of Iowa. “When I was two years old, my mother bought me an Iowa jacket with my name embroidered on it. I still have this jacket today,” says Carey, a Waterloo, Iowa native who earned her bachelor of arts degree in African American World Studies and Spanish and her M.A.T. in Foreign Language Education from the University of Iowa in 2002. Currently, Carey is an elementary spanish teacher in Snellville, Georgia. “I will never forget my first week at Iowa. A really close friend of mine and I were in the cafeteria in Burge Hall and she said, "I think it is so neat how everyone here has a backpack." I didn't completely understand what this meant, but the "Backpack" in Iowa City symbolizes purpose. It's very motivating and encouraging to be in an environment where so many other people are carrying “purpose” with them at all times. Not everyone is fortunate enough to attend college, but I'm very grateful for the privilege and experience because I believe that Iowa is truly a training ground,” says Carey. “Dr. Mitchell Kelly was one of the most influential educators that I've ever had in my life. He has a very genuine spirit and taught me that students long to see their educator's humanistic side. This has assisted me in my own development as an educator,” says Carey. Although the UI holds a very special place in the hearts of many alumni of color - solid life-long friendships made, the internationally acclaimed education earned, and the marketable career network opportunities - some alumni of color also reflect on their Iowa experiences with mixed emotions. “Most of my Iowa experiences were positive but I did experience some racial discrimination in the residence halls from a few students and racial discrimination from a few professors and staff, but it has all succeeded in my own personal growth. My faith in God and my established campus and community support systems are what allowed me to overcome these obstacles; what I learned about myself at Iowa is that I am strong,” says Carey. A member of Black Genesis Dance Troupe, Harambe, and a frequent student volunteer, Carey was one of three African American Spanish majors in 2002. Carey says at times, her abilities and intellect were often challenged. She also had financial obstacles that several times put her on the verge of having to discontinue her education. These challenges birthed what Carey calls “an indescribable level of resilience.” Says Carey, “I believe that Iowa is truly a training ground. This has become more and more of a reality for me the more I've learned about other places in the world. I firmly believe that a minority student who can make it at Iowa can survive, succeed and prosper anywhere in the World.” Since graduating from the University of Iowa in 2000 with a bachelor of arts degree in English and a minor in journalism, Rob Yarborough, a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has worked for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper for seven years in various roles, but currently as a sportswriter for the Suffolk, Va. branch of the paper covering both high school and college athletes from the city of Suffolk, Va and surrounding areas. In addition, Yarborough also serves as an Assessment Scorer for the ACT (American College Test) Writing Test through Pearson Education Measurement. As a high school student, Yarborough’s interest in Iowa was twofold: he knew that Iowa was one of a few schools to have both a standout men's gymnastics team and a standout journalism program - his two loves. With a brother a short drive away in Chicago, Yarborough made the move to Iowa and believes he transitioned easy into the culture of the Midwest. Says Yarborough, “The Iowa Link program had a large part to do with that, in that it helped me get on the right foot academically and become friends with other freshman students from around the nation. I eventually retired from gymnastics, and began sports writing for The Daily Iowan for my last two years of college - which also helped me get a feel for the culture of the school - especially on the sports front.” “Iowa really has a great reputation and it especially helps engage great conversation, “ says Yarborough. “Most people realize it is a standout public school nationwide, but the second question is always - why did you go to Iowa?! Then I tell them the reasons, and I also add the fact that it is one of the most active and supportive college towns in the US and caters to both big time academics and sports fans alike.” Like Carey, Yarborough’s UI experiences are also mixed with positive and negative reflections. “I never really had too many challenges, however, because of the fact that I am a light-skinned African-American male, many students from the state of Iowa did not realize I was black at first glance. With some knowledge of the culture (ex. no, not all black folks look the same, etc.), I found, however, a lot of the white kids from smaller towns were receptive to learning - they had just never been exposed.” “For example, I had a girl from one of the smaller Iowa towns come up to me at a party and she began feeling my hair. I looked at her like she was nuts and then she told me that the only black people she had seen before then, was on TV. I stood there stunned...but eventually we became great friends as I left the university (and she more cultured),” laughs Yarborough. “One thing I learned real quick is to be independent and speak up. When you are in an environment where you are truly the minority, you find yourself having to grow up really quickly and that was a major plus of going to school away from home,” says Yarborough. San Antonio, Texas inner-city west side is a long ways from Iowa City. But 2000 UI alumnus Inez Cruz (BA in English with a double minor in Spanish and African American World Studies) says that finding UI alumni in her Texas hometown is always a pleasant opportunity to swap stories. “I live in Texas and I always run into Alums - which is always exciting,” says Cruz. “Usually the first question people ask is which residence hall you lived in, and from there, it’s all reminiscing.” Cruz is a Case Manager for the City of San Antonio Healthy Start Program working as a social worker for women who are pregnant and at risk of low birth weight or infant mortality. She is also a Resident Supervisor for the Guadalupe Home, a homeless shelter for pregnant women. What Cruz loves most about her job is the ability to empower and motivate women. “After living and studying at the UI, I have a confidence that is unrivaled. Most people think that going to school in a small town is uneventful- I have to argue the opposite. Being at the UI allowed me to learn life lessons in a very supportive community,” says Cruz, who first heard about Iowa at a huge college fair held on the University of Texas at San Antonio campus. Says Cruz, “It was a field trip all my friends and I decided to attend in our senior year. I filled out an Opportunity at Iowa information card that asked what I was interested in and if it was okay to send me more material. A couple of weeks later, I started receiving material from the U of Iowa and really liked what I saw. Having lived inner city all my life, Iowa seemed like a change that would really be good for me. The programs sounded really interesting and I loved the idea of going to college in a small town. Somewhere deep down inside, I knew that if I was going to focus on my education and really be successful, I needed to be in an atmosphere where school was a priority: the UI and Iowa City was exactly that.” Cruz also mentions that Admissions did an awesome job of recruiting her by using a combination of phone calls, letters, and postcards; she got something every week from Iowa. However, once she came to Iowa, Cruz says she was faced with some cruel realities. “As a first year student, I realized very quickly that I wasn't as prepared as other students were. My first semester was probably my roughest. I got a horrible GPA, dropped my major, questioned everything I had ever been taught culturally, and was nowhere near as well read as other students, “ says Cruz. What made the difference for Cruz was her ability to rely on Special Support Services (now Support Service Programs), Opportunity at Iowa, and academic counselors. “SSS (now SSP) made a huge difference in my staying at Iowa; they provided me with tutors, social opportunities, diversity events, AND that beginning of the year picnic where I think I met all my friends! Opportunity at Iowa was great because it let me become part of the university and Iowa City community- I was a pen pal, an OI ambassador, and a student host. But my number one experience at Iowa was becoming a member of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. To this day, I tell people that I am the woman I am today because I joined SLG and my sisters encouraged and supported me in my decisions,” says Cruz. “Luckily, I found my way through. I became an open major, started taking classes that were of interest to me, started researching careers and participating in programs, and I volunteered. The next semester, I was well above a 3.0 and thrilled to be discovering what I was interested in.” Cruz admits that some of her greatest experiences at Iowa were in her diversity classes. In addition, the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) also gave Cruz the confidence to go to graduate school. So, what does having a degree from the University of Iowa mean in the real world of competitive employment markets? Perhaps Cruz sums it up best: Chicago native Kimberly Lacey (B.A. 1987, Communication Studies with emphasis in broadcasting) said that one of the best moments for her at Iowa happened at a dark time in her life when she was having difficulties with her grades, her major, and her grandmother was ill with cancer. “I talked to Professor Sam Becker during my sophomore year, expressed what was happening and he suggested since I liked the broadcasting side to switch my major from Journalism to Communication Studies. My parents were looking to transfer me to a HBCU [Historically Black College & University] and thought I would do better in an all black atmosphere but switching the major was the best thing that happened and probably divine intervention from my grandmother. She died of cancer during my second semester junior year, 13 months before I graduated, and I had the best grades I ever had since I had been on campus,” says Lacey who currently works in Chicago at Hartgrove Hospital, in Community Relations. “Being a black student on a predominately white campus was at times a challenge at the beginning,” says Lacey. “At that time, our community of undergrad and grad students of color was small compared to total enrollment but we were a tight knit group, that cared, respected and looked out for each other.” Lacey says that she “grew up in Chicago but became an adult at Iowa.” Some of the experiences that Lacey had at Iowa included an internship with the Iowa Television network as a production assistant with Iowa Football and Basketball. She also hosted her own radio show on campus at KRUI-FM. Lacey believes that her liberal arts education at Iowa backed by strong academic programs and world class caring professors made all the difference for her in the job market as well. “The University of Iowa looks good on a resume, and I actually landed a Marketing job once because the person interviewing me was also a Hawkeye!” says Lacey.
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