Gonzaga University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Business Administration
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Southeast Asian Straight Female

Summary

I’m part of a student cultural club called the Asian American Union, I’m in a sorority, and I’m a mentor for the youth organization on and off-campus called Campus Kids (CCE).

Background

Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Southeast Asian
Sexual Orientation: Straight

High School Experience: Public high school in Spokane, Washington with a graduating class of about 500 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Business Administration
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of a student cultural club called the Asian American Union, I’m in a sorority, and I’m a mentor for the youth organization on and off-campus called Campus Kids (CCE).
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
Gonzaga is a predominantly White institution, but through the different cultural clubs, they’ve brought together a lot of students who come from underrepresented s. It allows students who may not be recognized as the same identity find space on campus and talk about things they wouldn’t be able to talk about with other people.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
Exams and participation make up the bulk of our grades. In my business math class, we have homework such as problem sets or online work every night, and we’re preparing for a test coming up.
Is there anything you feel the business school does especially well or poorly?
What they do well is integrating students into learning the material through a big classroom nicely. The classes are geared toward getting to know each other. There are classes where there are maybe 10 students per class, but the business classes are bigger with around 40 to 50 students in a class. Even that number is pretty big, but the teachers really care about you. If you need help, they will listen. [The average class size is 24.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s a mixture of competitive and collaborative. In the business school, there are a few different concentrations such as marketing, finance, and accounting, but all the students there are learning techniques varying from being a visual to a tactile learner. In a sense, everyone is competing within their concentration, but everyone’s always there for each other when they need help. I’m not so great at accounting, but my friends who are good at it will always give me an extra hand when I need it.
How accessible are your professors?
They all have office hours and are mostly available through email. I have a class at the same time as my accounting professor’s office hours, so I won’t be able to come in. But, they’re really responsive and take time out of their day to get back to you.
Why did you choose your majors? Are you happy with your choice?
I recently switched my major from Broadcasting to Business Administration. The Broadcasting classes are a lot smaller, probably 8-10 people per class. In those classes, I was learning a lot about media and consumerism, but there’s a lot of behind the scenes computer work that didn’t suit me. I found my interests in business because I wanted to learn more about the logistics and statistics behind making and selling products.
What has been your favorite part of studying in the business school?
Being able to meet people in the classes. There are 40-50 students in the classes, so sometimes I’ll walk in later and sit next to someone I may not know. Everyone here is to get to know each other and learn about the subject.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
It wasn’t the hardest transition, but it was a little difficult in the beginning because I didn’t know anyone. I felt there wasn’t a lot of relatability because I assumed there wouldn’t be a lot of first-generation students. Little did I know, through the diversity offices I met a lot of students with underrepresented identities. Talking to the staff, faculty, and friends helped me transition. It was hard at first, but living in a dorm on campus was really nice because I got close to my roommate and the girls around me.

Reasons to Attend

1) Once you are on this campus, everyone is always smiling and opening the door for you. Everyone is so kind and will do something out of their way to support another Zag.
2) Gonzaga is a gem in Spokane. You’re in a community where many students may come from a privileged background, but the community itself is surrounded in the Logan neighborhood which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in Washington, so you have so many volunteer opportunities to get yourself out there.
3) There are so many things to do on campus. There are extracurricular and activities. You can go to a basketball game, or watch movies and get food in downtown Spokane.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) The weather during the winter.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Coughlin Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: Kennedy Apartments with five other people
How do you like going to school in your hometown?
It’s strange because growing up in Spokane I didn’t think Gonzaga was my first choice and never really considered it because I knew it would be expensive. Once I figured out about the scholarship opportunities, it gave me the chance to learn more and appreciate Gonzaga. I visited and realized it’s a gem within the Spokane community.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I feel safe walking and being around the downtown area. We have campus security.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
Some weekend activities I participate in include volunteering and mentoring through youth organizations. I’m part of a sorority and we volunteer with different organizations around campus, including food banks and Habitat for Humanity. At night, I used to go to SpikeNites where students host different events. There are lots of opportunities for you to hang out on campus at night. There’s bingo night where you can mingle. The party life is also really fun. The parties are hosted by upperclassmen or athletes in off-campus houses. We usually go to those Friday and Saturday nights. People find out about most of the parties through invitations.
What is the impact of Greek life on the weekend options at Gonzaga?
The sorority I’m in, along with the two fraternities that are unaffiliated with Gonzaga. Greek life isn’t approved of because of the connotation other fraternities and sororities have in the United States. Having that presence and being able to have fraternities and sororities allows students to get to know each other and socialize. [See the VP of Student Development’s letter to the editor in The Gonzaga Bulletin, “Greek life not welcome at Gonzaga” and a Greek life member’s letter to the editor, “Re-examining Greek life, Co-Existing and Thriving.”]
How happy are you with the weekend activities or nightlife at your school? Is there anything you would change if you could?
There isn’t anything I’d change. For the party life, a lot of students end up walking outside through the streets of the neighborhood to get to the parties. They’re pretty close by which is convenient.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
Through living in my freshman dorm. Being able to surround myself with girls that lived a few doors down or right across from me was really cool. Most of those friends are still with me today. Being in the dorm was really amazing.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Gonzaga?
The concept of Zags Help Zags is a motto. You’ll see students everywhere holding doors for people they don’t know. Everyone is so kind and people are always smiling and waving at each other. You may now know everyone on campus, but everyone is a Zag. It’s amazing to see how welcoming the community is.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
On campus, there’s a program called the Unity Multicultural Education Center (UMEC), along with the LGBTQ center. These offices allow people with underrepresented backgrounds to always be welcome in these offices when they need assistance. The staff, faculty, and student employees are always there to listen. They have events that are open to everyone. Today they had an event where they served homemade soup. It’s a very inclusive environment where people can get to know each other and talk about things not necessarily talked about. [The undergraduate population is 70% White, 11% Hispanic, 1% Black, and 6% Asian.]
How would you describe the South Asian community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s one of the smaller groups on campus. There’s maybe a [6%] ratio of Asian-American students, so it’s very small. Knowing there are clubs such as the Asian American Union where you can come to meetings and talk about food or culture and understanding that although there may not be a lot of us here, just finding a space like that is really important.
How do you like the size of Gonzaga in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 5,300 undergraduate students at Gonzaga.]
I really enjoy the small classes and the environment. I actually get to know my professors and the students around me. [The average class size is 24.]

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
I’m part of a program called Act Six, which allows local students from the Washington State area full scholarships. I’ve gotten to know the diversity offices through the Act Six program. That’s something they’re trying to implement for upperclassmen, gearing them up for internships and career fairs, and stuff like that.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I’ve been in there a few times but not as much as I’d like to. They are very helpful. Because I switched my major so recently, I’ve been focusing a lot more on my classes rather than future internship and job opportunities. They give you a personality test to help you understand your personality type and which career field you’d be suitable for.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
Throughout my Broadcasting classes I’ve taken, I learned how to use Adobe Audition, Photoshop, and right now I’m taking a business computing class that works on Excel.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating was the office to your needs?
Act Six covers my tuition. I’m granted a financial counselor who I can individually talk with about my situation and she’ll update me with other scholarship opportunities for books. I go into the office a lot and they’re very helpful.