Podcast Script: Minority Youth in College
Minority Youth in College
Episode 1 of the 7 Part Series
Abstract: In my podcast, “Minority Youth in College,” I will be traveling to 7 different universities across the United States. I will be interviewing 7 different college students ranging from a mexican woman to a black man to a transgender asian and more. Each one of these students is part of a social group on their campus, whether it be in greek life, a sports team, a club, or an academic group. We will be focusing on their experiences within these social groups and how their specific minority standing has affected their interactions with their peers and vice versa. Overall, I aim to find some truth in how young minorities are really experiencing college life.
Diego: Hello! My name is Diego Henning and welcome to the first episode of Minority Youth in College, the podcast where we will be touring several different universities across the United States and speaking to minorities in many different social groups in their respective universities to see what their daily experiences are really like. And on this first episode we are venturing to Austin, Texas to learn more about minorities in the greek system. Today, I will be speaking with a female student of Mexican descent in a predominantly white upper class sorority to hear about her thoughts and experiences as a minority in sorority and fraternity life.
Diego: “I am now joined with Maria Gonzales. Tell us a little bit about yourself to start out.”
Maria: “Hi! I am a student at the University of Texas at Austin, and I am currently in a sorority. I am pursuing a Computer Science degree with a minor in Business. I am 19 years old and some of my hobbies include drinking excess amounts of coffee, binging netflix shows, and running in the mornings. My family is from Monterrey, Mexico.”
Diego: For privacy purposes we have excluded the name of the sorority and changed her name to Maria. She seemed like a nice woman when we had this first meeting outside of a Starbucks on a chilly but sunny day in October, with a light breeze shifting the trees in the parking lot. She had just gotten out of an exam and I could tell she had stayed up late the night before studying. There were bags under her eyes and she seemed somewhat fatigued. Maria was wearing a nice white sweater and black leggings. She was about five foot five and had long dark brown hair. Maria also had big glasses and she walked with a kick to her step. She was very confident and studious and her ambition was contagious. Even though she was very tired, she still seemed very eager to share her story with me.
Diego: “Ok great! So now how was the recruitment process for you and could you explain it a little for those listening who don’t know?”
Maria: “Yeah so the recruitment process is what we call “rush.” Rush is the process where you visit all of the houses over a period of a few days to a week. As the week goes on the number of visits becomes fewer and more serious. You go eliminating sorority houses as you narrow down in terms of preference, until you get the bid or invite to the one you want or the one you will eventually end up with. So, overall the process was fine for me. I had been told that it’s “hell week” as they call it and it is supposed to be a terrible experience, but it wasn’t like that at all for me….Yeah it was a long, tiring week but I tried not to stress out. Maybe it wasn’t that bad for me because i was relaxed about the whole thing since I didn’t think being in a sorority was a life or death situation. I knew it would be good for me to join a social group on campus to make more friends and go to more events, but I am very independent and didn’t think I really needed it.”
Diego: “Hmm that’s interesting you had an overall good experience. I’m glad you did not suffer very much. I hear most girls are very worried during “hell week” as you say and that many are scared they won’t get the sorority they want. Would you say lots of girls were stressed out over rush week?”
Maria: “Yes definitely. Many girls treated it like the olympics or something. Girls were running from house to house putting makeup on before each house and worrying about sweat and what not…. Oh sweat was a major concern because summer in Texas is not fun.”
Diego: “That’s a funny image. And to be clear the idea of rush week as the recruitment process is solely for girl sororities and fraternities, not for boys correct?”
Maria: “Yes, that’s right it’s a much more informal of a process for frats.”
Diego: “Got it! Now, diving in a little deeper here, how did being a latino affect your rush week? Was that some of the focus in your conversations when rushing? And lastly do you think it directly affected which sororities gave you a bid or not?”
Maria: “Uhmmmm… I did not feel any hostility or like bad vibes due to me being Mexican, so I don’t think it impacted who chose me or not. With that being said of course girls could have been fake to me and they could have chosen to be nice instead, but if I did feel any negative feelings or attitude about me being Mexican then it would have saved me time because I would not want to be in that sorority anyway. And to be clear I don’t know all the sororities that gave me a bid in the end you only know the ONE you got meaning who you chose and who chose you.”
Diego: “Okay understood, that’s interesting. At least it’s good that none were apparently against your ethnicity at least not in front of you. But do you think that the process could have been different if your ethnicity or race had been different?”
Maria: “Oh yeah for sure. I think especially because I do go to school in Texas and there is still a lot of… I’m not sure how to say this… but racist tendencies or opinions, but it varies amongst the races and who you’re talking to.”
Diego: “I would imagine going to school in Texas in Trump’s America has been a challenge for all minorities. Trump has made lots of statements referring to immigration from Mexico and his demands for building a wall. As Latina from Mexico have you felt the repercussions from Trump’s claims during his campaign or presidency within the greek system? If so, do you mind telling the story?”
Maria: “Yeah sadly I have. Nothing too big that warranted a big reaction from me, but some relatively shocking incidents that I have never experienced before. So one time at a frat party I was talking to this guy, and he asked what my name was because we hadn’t introduced ourselves to each other yet. I said my name was Maria. And I said it in an American way because I felt my name was easier for people who don’t speak spanish to say it that way and especially at a party I felt that was just more convenient. So anyway, his responses to me saying my name was Maria was, “What’s your last name?” So I say, “Gonzales,” but this time I say it in Spanish correctly pronouncing my name, and the guy just turns around and walks away. I stood there for a second like thinking “What the fuck, like really?” A guy standing nearby saw that whole thing and goes, “Sorry just ignore him” and I ask, “Did he really just walk away because I’m Mexican?” The guy or bystander responds, “Yeah sorry just forget about him” -- So that whole exchange was uncomfortable and I think the first time something so blatantly rude has happened to me simply because I am Mexican. At that point I left the party just because I was pretty angry and honestly just shocked.”
Diego: “That’s pretty insane and frankly just openly disrespectful. Sorry that happened to you.”
Maria: “Yeah like if you don’t want to talk to someone for whatever reason at least be decent enough to make up an excuse to leave the conversation and not just walk away.”
Diego: “I completely agree. That just shows the lack of tolerance and capacity some people have for minorities. But I’m glad you shared this with me and all the listeners so we can know what really goes on. Adding on to that, we hear a lot about hazing horror stories in the press concerning all male fraternities. Within your time in the sorority have you been hazed in any of its many forms?”
Maria: “Honestly, no. I thought I would experience at least a little (hazing) going in which I wasn’t excited for, but I just thought it comes with the territory. But no I have not experience any type of hazing.”
Diego: “That’s good to hear. Have you heard stories of hazing in other greek affiliated houses or organizations? And if so have you noticed or heard any correlation between the hazing and the ethnicity or race of the person being hazed?”
Emilia: “I have heard of some pretty bad stories about hazing in general not necessarily here at UT, but through articles or friends at other universities. I know most fraternities here on campus do haze, but are pretty secretive about what the hazing entails for pledges like what they are forced to do or what is done to them and why. In terms of hazing being because of race I have not heard any stories here at UT, but I know a fraternity’s chapter at the University of Oklahoma was kicked off campus because of a video that was released showing members of the fraternity and their dates on a bus on the way to a date event. In the video the guys were chanting that there will never be a “black” member of their fraternity. The video went viral and caused a lot of upset. Of course many sororities and fraternities are known for being predominately white, but I have not heard of a public dismissal or rejection of blacks or any minority for that matter concerning any UT greek life”
Diego: “Oh wow that’s very shocking to hear. I’m sure there are many cases like that or incidents that involve racial speech or rejection among fraternity and sorority life, but I would imagine that most of it is behind doors…………..
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That is a small introduction to what could be a complete Episode 1 of MYiC
