Editor’s note: This is the first in a three-part series during Black History Month. The second story will focus on the experiences of a first-generation black student. The third will focus on organizations and services aimed at helping minority students.</>

Student organizations and university programs both play a large role in welcoming students into the ISU community. At a predominantly white university, that’s not always easy.

Tameka Greene, senior in art and design, is the vice president of the Black Student Alliance at Iowa State. The BSA is responsible, according to its constitution, for providing support and a comfortable environment for students of African descent.

Greene said she would like to see more collaboration between university committees and organizations like BSA that support black students.

“Certain needs are not getting met,” Greene said. “One of those needs is to be culturally engaged and motivated by the university – not the university community, but the university.”

This engagement and motivation, Greene said, is crucial to students’ development while in college.

“College should be a place where you find out who you are,” she said. “And if you don’t have the support system to grow and find out who you are, then you’re just here. Hanging out.”

Beverlyn Allen, faculty member of the ISU African American Studies Program and associate professor of sociology, said the university still has strides to make for all minority students on campus.

“I guess I would like to see more emphasis on moving to get more efforts on retention for students and more support for undergrad students of color,” Allen said. “I would like to see a larger pool of faculty of color. I guess those are the things at the university that we really need.”

There are a number of obstacles facing minority students when they step onto a new campus, said Tom Hill, vice president for student affairs.

“You put somebody in an environment and things might be available, but if a person doesn’t feel comfortable, welcomed . there will be some inconsistencies there,” Hill said.

Hill said he did feel that the university has a responsibility to help minority students adjust – if they need help – when they enroll in the university.

“We have to have an attitude that, because we brought them to this institution, we’re not going to make them change, but we’re going to accommodate them and make some adjustments to the environment that might make it more suitable to them being successful here,” Hill said. “It’s not business as usual – it’s different. You’ve got people who are different, and it takes doing different things to really make them feel like, ‘Yeah, I actually belong here.'”

At the same time, white students shoulder some of the responsibility of making minority students feel welcome. Failure to do so can have consequences, even when no ill will is meant on anyone’s part.

“I’m not saying that the majority of culture is being mean or doesn’t want to be hospitable. The majority of culture is being the majority of culture,” Hill said. “The minority students who come in are looking for some signs that they belong or that people care about them. If that doesn’t happen, then you leave those people to their own devices.”

Similarly, Hill said no matter how inclusive the ISU community becomes, new students will always have to make some adjustments.

“People come here from, say, Chicago and expect Ames to be just like Chicago,” Hill said. “That’s crazy. It’s unrealistic.”

Ultimately, everyone at the university – regardless of color, race or creed – plays a part in the integration of minority students on campus.

“We all have to make some adjustments, but there’s a point where some people have to make a whole lot more adjustments,” Hill said. “I think there are some good people here, a lot of good people, but the students of color, particularly, will never get to know those good people if they don’t feel comfortable enough to reach out. That’s an issue, a huge issue.”