Many students come to college unaware of the variety of programs and counseling Iowa State has to offer to minority students.

Nichole Taylor, senior in electrical engineering, knows the value of Iowa State’s diversity resources.

“When you first come to campus, you might feel overwhelmed or out of place,” Taylor said. “But definitely make sure you seek out the resources that are available to you, because they are there.”

One resource every minority student has access to, Taylor said, and one that helped her during her freshman year in particular, is the college’s multicultural liaison officer.

The MLO is someone who “meets that special need,” Taylor said. Minority students can go to their MLOs with questions, whether they are related to the academic, professional or social world.

Kim Everett, program coordinator for academic and student affairs for the College of Engineering, said the most important questions students can ask her are how to get involved, where to get help with academics and how to prepare themselves for their professional futures.

A mistake she has seen students make which she counsels freshmen to avoid, is not taking advantage of the support resources here, Everett said. Tutoring is a good example – she generally counsels students to “get help right away” if they are struggling in their classes.

“Often times they’ll wait until it may be beyond repair,” Everett said. “So get help early.”

As a freshman, Taylor took the initiative to apply for and join communities that catered to her needs as a minority student while preparing her for a professional future.

Taylor was accepted to participate in Leadership through Engineering Academic Diversity, a living/learning community geared toward minority students in the College of Engineering. The program offered things such as academic excellence workshops, a study center and tutoring.

Taylor said the support offered by LEAD are more than merely academic.

She and a group of five friends who met through the program have stayed a tight-knit community throughout college. The six of them graduated in May 2007 and hosted a graduation party together.

Becoming connected in some way to the college community is one of the most important things for a minority student to do, Taylor said.

Aside from LEAD, Taylor said she participated in quite a few student organizations on campus, including the National Society of Black Engineers.

Taylor said particular organization helped her pursue academic excellence, hone her leadership skills and improve her social skills.

“Every time you’re involved with a student organization, it’s good socially,” Taylor said. “Whatever student organization you’re in, it’s who you become friends with.”

Student organizations are also important to academic success because it is in those places where students can feel like they belong.

“Push yourself to excel,” Taylor said. “And know the reason you’re here is to get an education – to get a degree, to grow as an individual and experience different things.”