A port in the storm for students of color
As an undergraduate at Howard University, Washington, D.C., Kimberly James attended class with fellow black students, learned from primarily black professors and bonded with black mentors.
In all, her experience at the historically black institution was one of incredible comfort and connection. Students thrived in a nurturing environment where strong role models encouraged them to reach their full potential.
“I wanted that kind of college experience and it was a blessing,” says James, clinical director of Multicultural Services and Outreach at Counseling and Consultation Services, an arm of University Health Services.
With a Ph.D. in counseling psychology, James holds multiple roles at Counseling and Consultation Services. She counsels students who are experiencing trying times, manages a team of counselors, social workers and psychologists, and speaks to multicultural student groups to help them understand the resources available on campus.
Students of all races and ethnicities deal with relationship issues, stress, financial problems, depression, family strife and problems keeping up in school. But students of color often feel less comfortable — even isolated — on a largely homogenous campus, she says. If unchecked, those feelings can magnify other problems and eventually cause students to leave Madison.
Although campus climate is not the only factor involved, retention and graduation rates for students of color lag behind those of white students.
“A student of color may visit as part of a summer program and feel that everything is wonderful,” says James, who came to UW–Madison in 1999. “But when they come back in the fall and see that the campus is 90 percent white, this can be quite a shock.
“As a majority student, your image is reflected in all aspects of university life, and that boosts your comfort and confidence level,” she adds. “There’s never any question of “How did you get in?'”
Making the problems worse, students of color and international students typically have more difficulty in asking for psychological help, preferring instead to first work with culturally traditional resources such as a minister, sibling or mentor.
While a majority student might ask for help at the first sign of a problem, students of color may wait until multiple problems have reached a crisis point. While that situation is often the norm, James has seen a slight increase in students of color utilizing counseling services. In all, 10 percent of the student population visits Counseling and Consultation Services each year.
“There’s a greater stigma for students of color who mistakenly feel that their issues don’t warrant counseling, saying “I’m not sick. … I can handle my own problems.’ In general, it takes a lot of courage for students to walk through our doors and admit that they need help,” James says.
Frequently, James receives referrals from administrators and faculty who are dealing with struggling students.
Akua Sarr, an assistant dean in the College of Letters and Science, says she calls James regularly to get advice and to put students in contact with resources.
“She’s very open and outgoing and a great listener,” Sarr says. “It’s important for me to be able to refer students to a person that I know and trust, not just an office.”
Students have a short assessment period and are then referred to a counselor that works with them on a one-on-one or group basis.
While that’s beneficial, James says it’s likely that positive, long-term changes in climate would occur as a result of added resources for multicultural support groups, and additional forums and dialogues on race and climate.
In the short term, James believes that it’s important for students of color to know that support is available through Counseling and Consultation Services, and through numerous other student groups and organizations across campus.
“I tell students of color to think creatively about how they can connect with others,” she says. “You need to find support, and find people to talk to, or the natural reaction is to isolate yourself.”
Tags: diversity