Spring Break
Latina student breaks down diversity barriers
Kelli Pryor
Issue date: 5/12/08 Section: News
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"It is something my family wants us to cherish and hold onto," Ramirez said.
Ramirez, a junior social work major, is one of the 1,532 Latino students at CSU. When she first came to campus, it was obvious to her that she was a minority. Though she grew up in the predominately Caucasian town of Brighton, the size of the CSU campus was overwhelming to her, she said.
"The bad thing about CSU is that there is a much bigger Caucasian population in relation to Hispanics, so there still was a culture shock for me," Ramirez said.
This feeling of being different led her to El Centro, the Latino student services organization at CSU that helps minority students advance their academic and personal lives on campus.
"El Centro was my home away from home. It was a place I could go and feel comfortable and see people who are like me," Ramirez said.
Eventually, she started working at El Centro and is now a peer resource leader in charge of contacting new students to tell them about El Centro and the services the office has to offer. Ramirez and El Centro staff also work to increase diversity on campus.
"I think (CSU) is doing a better job improving on diversity," she said. "But I think they could still work on a few areas. I think they could still get more students that are diverse to come to campus.
"Here at CSU, out of 22,000 students, there are only 1,500 Latino students, that's less than six percent -- and we are the biggest minority on campus."
Eighty-seven percent of undergraduate students are white, said Estevan Jaimes, assistant director of diversity outreach.
That means only 13 out of every 100 students are considered minorities.
But some students are optimistic about the university's efforts to improve diversity.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 27
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 5/12/08 @ 4:11 AM MST
"The bad thing about CSU is that there is a much bigger Caucasian population in relation to Hispanics,
I find this statement highly offensive.
Why is it bad because you went to a place with more whites than you were used to. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 5/12/08 @ 10:20 AM MST
Got a blog right here.
Now my turn , Get an arguement. :)
Craig Hawley needs a blog
posted 5/12/08 @ 12:21 PM MST
Are you a friend or foe of Craig Hawley?
Tell us by going to:
http://www.collegian.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticleComments&ustory_id=18243091-5dea-4ba8-9367-e70c2cbfea44#e256995d-7dae-4059-9bf1-8e95eabe3e75
Tell him there whether or not he should have his own blog elsewhere. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 5/12/08 @ 12:52 PM MST
Another exercise in futility brought to you by another anonymous nick coward.
LOL!
Bigot Alert***Bigot Alert***Bigot Alert
posted 5/13/08 @ 2:18 AM MST
When will these racist bigots, who judge people by the color of their skin and refer to them in the same way, just go away?
The idea that people like this, who spread hate and intolerance of persons who are not like them, somehow have something important to say is asinine. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 5/13/08 @ 8:26 AM MST
Another anonymous poster. The person who wrote the article in my opinion has a huge problem.
The bad thing about CSU is that there is a much bigger Caucasian population in relation to Hispanics
This is a horrible statement and smacks of racism. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 5/13/08 @ 4:19 PM MST
Tru Dat Bigot Alert. :)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 5/13/08 @ 4:24 PM MST
The thing that gets me is how the Collegian and other cow to to bigots if they are minority's.
If I was a white bigot and wrote an article saying the only thing bad about CSU is they allow to many Latinos or any other ethnic group I would never have been published. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 5/14/08 @ 2:12 AM MST
You know what, I retract that previous statement, I am completely wrong.
I have no life and no friends, I was just lying. I am such a sad and lonely person, I was just reaching out to a younger generation, in hopes that I might find some kind of acceptance. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 5/14/08 @ 7:30 AM MST
You'll notice my stalker is so unoriginal and lazy they are using cut and paste and the same tired lame cut downs. I on the other hand do not steal their lame nicks because they are lame. (Continued…)
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