Allegheny College

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Majors: Double Major in English and Graphic Art and Technology with a focus on graphic design
Minor: Global Health
Student Self Identifies as: African-American Straight Male

Summary

I’m in a few multicultural clubs, including the Advancement of Black Culture (ABC), and I did the African Students Association (ASA). I also have my own business.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: African-American
Sexual Orientation: Straight

High School Experience: Private all-boys high school near Meadville, PA with a graduating class of 35 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Majors: Double Major in English and Graphic Art and Technology with a focus on graphic design
Minor: Global Health

Extracurricular Activities: I’m in a few multicultural clubs, including the Advancement of Black Culture (ABC), and I did the African Students Association (ASA). I also have my own business.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
The business because of the nature of what I’m trying to do on college campuses. The clubs have also had an impact because of how intimate I have to be with the school and the students.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
I have a lot more essays than tests in English. Since I’m doing a critical track, the classes I was taking this year were a lot more Shakespeare based. There was a lot of reading plays and diving into what the overall message is. This semester I was writing an essay or two a week, about 5-10 pages. Art took a lot more of my time.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
The Art department enables me to explore and do whatever I wanted. They gave me the resources I needed to do my art. For English, my teachers and advisors helped me find my passion for [the subject].
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s definitely all about academics here. I don’t know if it’s necessarily competitive, but there’s a standard they try to uphold. It’s competitive in the sense that the coursework is difficult and they push you, but not in the sense that you’re working against other people to get the grade.
How accessible are your professors?
Very accessible. Each professor has office hours, but they’re more than willing to meet outside of office hours. I’ve had professors facetime me when I needed something, so they really do try to help.
Do you feel that people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
Yes and no. I feel like the environment of today’s world brings up a lot of issues of that nature, but the school is on its way to becoming more progressive.
What has been your favorite part of Allegheny academically?
Finding my passion for art and being able to express myself and show my artwork in art shows around campus.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I went into school as a Biology major, and Physics closed that off for me. English was already part of what I was going to do, and one of my friends inspired me to try an art class. After that, it took off.

Reasons to Attend

Reasons to attend Allegheny:
1) The alumni system and the name, Allegheny College, get you into a lot of places, as I’ve found out.
2) The people, academics, and resources.
3) The openness to choosing a major. You can choose your own major.
4) They will set you up if you want to go to graduate school.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) As a minority, you might feel a little alienated on campus.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Ravine Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: Off-campus house with two roommates
Junior: Off-campus house with four roommates
Senior: Off-campus house with five roommates
How was transitioning from your hometown to Meadville, PA?
I was in the area already accustomed to being in the area because my high school was only an hour away from Allegheny. It wasn’t too big of a transition.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I’ve never had an issue with anybody there, it just depends on where you are and who you’re around. For the most part, I’ve felt pretty safe on campus.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I’m a DJ, so I work a lot of the parties on campus or the local bars. If I’m not working, I’m usually not out because of the nature of my job. Allegheny is really small, and the school is lenient on the party life. We have to make the most of it, but you won’t be bored
Who hosts the parties? Where are they located?
Besides the houses that we have, we have an apartment complex where upper-classmen host parties. Saturday night is the biggest night for parties. A lot of people stay in on Friday, but there are still small parties and people go to the bar. Saturday is usually when the main event will happen and everyone will come out.
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
There are a lot of places to eat in the Meadville area. If someone is a foodie you’ll have your hands full trying out all the different places and cuisines. We have a movie theatre, and Meadville has local plays. On campus we have dance performances and student-run plays. There are definitely extracurricular entertainment options for you.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
For the most part, I’m happy, just because if I’m going out I’m most likely running the event so I know it’ll be fun. I think there should be more places for people underage to go. The bars [are 21+] and even some of the parties on campus will shut down early because the older people are going to the bars.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
Of the two I started school with, one I knew before and the other I helped move in on the first day and we were close after that. Everyone else I’ve met has been through going through the college journey. Once I became a DJ in my sophomore year, I met my closest friend. He’s a dancer and asked me to make a dance for him. We have something called Orchesis, which is a student-run dance performance company.
Is it common for people to transfer?
Yeah, Allegheny has a terrible retention rate, especially with Black students. When it comes to bringing in people for sports, like football and basketball, they demand a lot from them to uphold the standard of Allegheny academics. [Allegheny’s overall second-year retention rate is about 86% and with the Black population, it is about 75%. The six-year graduation rate for Black students is about 65%.]
How would you describe the overall social scene at Allegheny?
At times it’s very much like high school. It’s a very small school so word gets around fast about a plethora of things, but for the most part, everyone is at least cordial.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
They’re very open about sexual orientations. There’s no bullying for being gay or bisexual. In terms of another race, this school is working toward being more progressive in terms of accepting everybody and the struggles particular races have. There are moments where it feels cliquey, but I’d say there’s a lot of multiracial mixing. [The undergraduate population is 9% Hispanic, 8% Black, 68% White, and 4% Asian.]
How would you describe the African American community on campus? How strong is it?
That’s something that has been growing in the past years. We have a lot of Black clubs. [Certain classes have different opinions], and that can cause some issues. Because of what’s happening in the world, some students feel like they have to do everything on their own and can’t get help from others, but that’s not necessarily the case. That’s just something everybody is going to have to navigate on their own. You’ve got to learn how to deal and make the best of it.
How do you like the size of Allegheny in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 1,800] students?
I know I needed something small. If I went somewhere huge, I’d become way too distracted with everything they have. I personally like it. I know a lot of my class, even if we aren’t best friends.
How would you describe the student body?
Everyone is very different and quirky. I’ve never met a basic cardboard cutout. Everyone has their own style and interests.

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
Yes, actually. We have something called Zingale Big Idea, which is Allegheny’s idea of Shark Tan and is run by alumni. They’ve helped me bring my business to the next step and get in contact with people who might be able to help.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I’m proficient in the Adobe Suite.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, accommodating was the office to your needs?
I don’t feel like they’re very understanding of situations. When you visit the office, they kind of just repeat what they say in the emails which can be frustrating.