I am a Person- Not a Label
Alexander Washington
Mississippi State University
Mississippi Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Overview
• Diversity in Higher Education
• Importance of a Diverse Environment
• Diversity in MASFAA
• Circles of my Multicultural Self
Objective
• Bring awareness to…
• Our individual characteristics that are
often misunderstood or portrayed in a
negative manner
• Identify personal stereotypes, whether
proud or sensitive, that allows us to
properly educate and promote a healthy
financial future for students
Past, Present, & Future
• In the south, racial segregation started to decline in higher
education in the 1950’s
• The impact in the post-segregation era feeds discussion and
debate as educators and politicians wrestle to find clear
answers to desegregation and equal opportunity
•
“Today, leaders at public and private TWIs often find themselves
walking on egg shells as they try to strike a balance between the
past, present and future of a profound social change, the kind of
change about which many segregation-era parents could have
only dreamed, the kind that many post-segregation era opponents
find offensive.” (Stuart, 2013)
Accept the Challenge
Take the Challenge make the Change
Be you
Be proud
Be the one
Diversity in the Workplace
• Diversity in the workplace strives to make people
of all socio-economic backgrounds feel
comfortable
• Promotes equal opportunities among all
employees to be hired and promoted based on
merit not race, gender or creed
• Promotes equality when counseling, processing,
& awarding students
How we use “Labels”
• Categorize students by:
• Socioeconomic Status
• Expected Family Contribution
(EFC)
• Ethnic Stereotypes
• Communication Stereotypes
• Physical Appearance
MASFAA Assessment
• Survey conducted October 1, 2012- October 30,
2012
• Emailed using the MASFAA Listserv
• 45 members participated—36.3% of listserv
MASFAA Assessment
As an Administrator, does diversity have any value
at higher education institutions?
Yes
No
MASFAA Assessment
Rank the diversity efforts of your department/office?
Excellent
Progressing
Moderate
Infrequent
No Efforts
Circles of My Multicultural Self
• Activity to engage participants in a
process of identifying what they
consider to be the most important
dimensions of their own identity
• Stereotypes are examined as
participants share stories about when
they were proud to be part of a
particular group and when it was hurtful.
Circles of My Multicultural Self
Male
Religious
Alex
Black
Mississippian
Circles of My Multicultural Self
“I am (a/an)
_________
but I am NOT (a/an)
___________!”
Circles of My Multicultural Self
“I am a
FINANCIAL AID
COUNSELOR
but I am NOT
PERFECT!”
We are ALL People—Not Labels
“Once you LABEL me, you NEGATE me”
Discussion/Questions