|
Sofia, Bulgaria
International Studies and
German Studies
When I decided to apply for the Pluralism & Unity Program the summer before my freshman year, I was attracted by the promise of exploring issues of identity and multiculturalism and being introduced to the diverse communities in the Twin Cities. I was eager to learn more about the phenomenal diversity in the United States. I also wanted to get involved at Macalester, to meet other students and to learn more about the Twin Cities.
The Pluralism & Unity Program exceeded my expectations. It encouraged students to openly share thoughts on topics that are frequently considered uncomfortable to talk about. In a friendly and informal environment,
we discussed subjects such as race,
class, sexual orientation, and societal norms and their effect on identity
formation. The program exposed me to the views of people from different parts
of the United States and the world,
encouraged me to share my experiences as a Bulgarian and gave me valuable knowledge about others and myself. For the first time I asked myself questions about the meaning of my skin color, how it is perceived by others, and what influence this has on my identity formation.
I met some of my best friends in the Pluralism & Unity Program. I cherish the memories of our inspiring field trips, such as our graffiti mural tour with the artists from “Juxtaposition” and the powerful spoken word performance by the local group, Edupoetic.
I am proud that I was part of a group that was ready to discuss controversial issues, sought a way free of conflict and embraced ideals of mutual understanding, collaboration and global perspective. |
Southfield, Michigan
Political Science, American Studies
One hot summer day, a thick manila envelope filled with information about the upcoming year arrived at the house of a newly admitted Macalester freshman. The student joyfully flipped through paper after paper about orientation activities and student clubs until one application stood out: The Pluralism & Unity Program. This group pledged to make students question their identity and learn how to function in the multicultural community that makes up the world.
That excited student was me. I applied and, luckily, was accepted. The program helped make my first year at Macalester very memorable. An important part of the college experience, especially the first year, is defining the person that you are and the person that you want to become. Pluralism & Unity helps students find their personal identity in relation to their privileges in life, their home communities, and their race/ethnicity. The program helps connect students’ personal identity to the community at large. This highly emotional and intimate process forms close friendships among many of the students. The Pluralism & Unity community—students as well as staff—all support one another.
Some of the activities are emotionally charged, such as a group exercise in which students put various kinds of beans into Ziploc bags to represent the races of different members of their personal community. Once confronted with the reality of their choices, many students have a very emotionally charged response. A more relaxing activity came over winter break when students were given a camera to take pictures of their home communities. Upon returning, students made their pictures into a collage explaining how each student was a part of their hometown.
The Macalester Pluralism & Unity Program helps students deal with who they are and accept other people’s differences on an advanced and mature level. It helps form world citizens. |
