Muhlenberg College
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Majors: Political Science and Theatre double major
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Mixed: Black and Asian Straight Male
Summary
I [have a leadership position] in the Men of Color Network, which is an affinity group housed in the Office of Multicultural Life, and the Emerging Leaders group.
Background
Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Mixed: Black and Asian
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Public vocational high school in Southern New Jersey where I majored in theatre. There was a culture of going to college
First-Generation College Student: No
Majors: Political Science and Theatre double major
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I [have a leadership position] in the Men of Color Network, which is an affinity group housed in the Office of Multicultural Life, and the Emerging Leaders group. I’m a Student Government Representative, I’m a tour guide, I’m a residential adviser, and I’m a student conduct advisor. I also act in a lot of the shows at Muhlenberg.
Have any of your extracurricular activities had a particularly big impact on your experience?
I would argue that all of them had. It’s been great to be part of the Men of Color Network, especially in a leadership role. The affinity groups at Muhlenberg, which are housed in the Office of Multicultural Life, really give life and diversity to the office and it makes it more of a support system than just a building. Being a tour guide is always rewarding as well because representation does matter. I get to interact with dozens of families every semester, be the first face that they see, and can give them an honest and frank answer of why to go to Muhlenberg. Being a residential adviser, I look after first-years and that has been more rewarding than I ever could have dreamt it would be.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your majors?
There are a lot of outside rehearsals happening so that we can do the work in class, and those take up a lot of time. I’m in a Race and Performance class, which is phenomenal. It focuses on how we see race through a lens of intersectionality and how that corresponds in dialogue in performance and different types of performance. For Political Science, I am right now taking American Political thought which has a lot of papers. It is also a lot of note-taking and understanding concepts. Political science is such a complex field so studying note cards doesn’t always do it, it really takes trying to understand abstract concepts.
Is there anything you feel either of your majors’ departments do especially well or poorly?
I’m an actor, and I think the Theatre department’s acting classes I’ve taken are phenomenal. The professors have such a good breadth and depth of knowledge of what the work is and what we should be doing as young artists. I do hope the Theatre department continues to do more shows that are surrounded by or have more participation in terms of marginalized bodies on campus, like Black and Brown people on campus. We just finished up doing A Raisin in the Sun, but it would be nice to make sure we’re doing shows that represent our fundamental values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and that shows like that are not just one-offs or happen every couple of years. That’s something that the department is improving upon.
In terms of the Political Science department, every professor I’ve had is just brilliant. I think they do a great job of making you see the world of politics through a different lens rather than just the regular partisan politics that has dominated political culture recently. I enjoy being able to look through a historical lens with regard to political science and how that influences and shapes my political decisions.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
In the Theatre major, all of the learning that really happens in a theatre classroom is collaborative. There isn’t a time where it’s competitive. I’m a person who likes a classroom that is passionate and where everyone’s jumping in and everyone wants to say something, and that I have gotten in some of my classes. It’s really good because you learn a lot from your classmates and you can tell everyone is in the same boat that everyone wants to give an idea, even if there are ideas that are contrasting. That’s been my favorite part and I’ve gotten that in my Political Science classes and the performance classes in Theatre.
How accessible are your professors?
They are quite accessible. I have been able to reach out to some of my professors who I have this semester and who I’ve had in previous semesters and reach out to them for advice or extra help. They’re very accessible in terms of emailing them, office hours, and making appointments outside of office hours.
Why did you choose your majors? Are you happy with your choice?
I chose Theatre because I’ve always liked performing, telling a story, and making people laugh. In high school when I was able to have it be my major, I was really able to get a lot of work and diversify my skill-set and learn more about what theatre is about. That expanded my perspective of what theatre can do and the power theatre has.
In terms of Political Science, I was not sure if I was going to major in Political Science. One of the things that makes Muhlenberg unique is you can double major with a BFA in Theatre, which is not the case in many acting programs. When I found out I was accepted to Muhlenberg and could go there, I decided I would do it because I’ve been interested in politics for a while.
Reasons to Attend
1) The Theatre Program.
2) The small school feel.
3) The ability to double major quite easily and gear your degree to your interests.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you want a big school, this is not the school for you.
2) If you’re looking for a school with a lot of Black or Brown bodies, this is not the school for you.
3) One of the things that upsets me about Muhlenberg is they don’t have a static tuition, so the tuition can go up whenever they decide to increase it. [See Muhlenberg Weekly article, “Good Financial Health.”]
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Prosser Hall with two roommates
Sophomore: Prosser Hall as a residential adviser
How was transitioning from your hometown to Allentown, PA in terms of location?
I live about an hour and a half from Allentown, which I think is nice. It’s just enough space that I can go out and do my own thing and I have that independence. I’m also just close enough to home that if I need anything I can get it.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
Muhlenberg is an open campus and I have seen reports of people coming on to campus and [causing trouble]. That allows me to be more cognizant that I go to school on an open campus and people can drive down the street since it’s a public road. It’s made me more aware of the town and people around us.
In terms of the environment on campus, people say there are safe spaces on campus. My first year, one of my professors said that she didn’t use the term “safe space” because what might be safe for you might not be safe for somebody else. She used the term “brave space,” which means that everybody has the capability of being brave even though you may not be safe. In some of the spaces on campus, like my residence hall, I feel relatively safe. But, there have been incidents on campus where the N-Word has been used, so that diminishes my knowledge of the feeling of safety. [See Muhlenberg Weekly article, “Bias language conversation.”]
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
On the weekends, I usually just hang out in my dorm room, but pretty often my friends and I will go see a movie at New Visions. I also go home sometimes. In terms of nightlife, I like to have a few friends over and play a board game or play some music and chill. I’m not much of a partygoer. Personally, my first year I didn’t go out that much and my second year I haven’t gone out much either.
What have been some of your favorite times at Muhlenberg?
Definitely when they put on the Stuff-A-Plush events. I love when they bring in the Stuff-A-Plush company and you get to create your own. They come every semester. I also love any of the events that the different clubs and organizations put on. Those groups are always putting on different fundraisers for good causes. There are plenty of things that happen on campus, whether it be through the Muhlenberg Activities Council, Office of Multicultural Life, or the Office of Student Engagement. I enjoy all of those events.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Muhlenberg? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I love our dining hall food, but no matter where you go you’ll get tired of it, so I wish there were more places to eat off-campus other than [fast-food chains].
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
I met them through first-year orientation. It’s great because you’re with them before all of the other students and are playing games and bonding the whole week.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Muhlenberg?
I think people are quite social with each other. There’s always something going on, even if it is maybe not as known to everyone. I know I’m always doing a thousand and one things, so that must mean that everyone else is going to be doing a thousand and one things. I hate that we’ve dubbed everything “Muhlen-something,” but there is a “Muhlen-busy” because everyone here seems to be always busy. That’s a good thing because students always have something going on. You want to be busy, you want to be doing the work, and all of that, but, with all of the business and scheduling, you provide less time for yourself. I think that’s something that students have to work on, myself included. When you get caught up in always having to be studying for something, always having to prepare for a fundraiser, etc. and you forget yourself and that sometimes you need a break and time to relax.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
Since Muhlenberg is a predominantly White institution, there are times when I find myself being the only Black or Brown body in the class, so you’re already forced into mixing there. I know that through the work we do with the Office of Multicultural Life we are building bridges and bringing students together between different races and sexual orientations. I know there are a bunch of different circles and pockets on campus where this happens, but that’s the fullest extent of my knowledge. [The undergraduate population is about 72% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Black, and 3% Asian.]
How would you describe the Black community on campus? How strong is it?
I can’t speak for the Black community, I can only speak for myself and my experiences. Muhlenberg tells us that we are gaining more and more students of color every year, but whether that is seen or felt is a different story. I believe the Black community to be strong and resilient. We are in the minority in terms of numbers but the Black community on Muhlenberg’s campus is quite powerful. We just had an event for Black Excellence and it was so great to see so many Black and Brown bodies in one space celebrating our culture and heritage. I believe it’s strong. If you look at the numbers, you may think it’s not as strong, but when you look at the people and their passion to do good, it’s very strong.
How do you like the size of Muhlenberg in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 2,300 students at Muhlenberg.]
I adore it because it means I’m getting a small college feeling. I know everyone, and there are pros and cons to that, but for my personal experience, the pros outweigh the cons in the sense of how it’s impacted me. It’s great when you can walk into practically any building and wave to people who know you. It’s made my experience better because I think I’ve gotten to make more connections and network with people.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
I’m just starting to get working on that because I’m trying to prepare for my time outside of Muhlenberg. The career center has helped me get in touch with people
What have you used the career office for? How helpful are they?
The career center has been helpful for updating and building my resume. Especially with my Theatre major, they have helped update it with what shows I have been doing. I’m going to New York in the fall for a study abroad program, so I’ve been working with the career center and they’ve put me in contact with some of the people who I’ll be working with in the fall to help secure internships and figure out what the best path is for me.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
I haven’t learned any of that.
Financial Aid
Have you used financial aid? If so, how easy is the office to work with?
Yes, I receive financial aid. Muhlenberg is expensive so I’m always applying for financial aid and scholarships. In the financial aid office, there is only ever one person who I ever go to and she is the best. She is more than willing to work with students to make sure that they get their applications in, their FAFSA in, and whatever they need to secure as much money as they can. At first, I didn’t know how to work the financial aid portal as a freshman and [the woman I work with] walked us through it step by step and I was able to submit all of my documents.