Author Archives: aharris219

Major Project 4

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Alyssa Harris

Major Project 4

English 1102

 

OVERVIEW:

            When society imagines someone homeless, they immediately think of an older individual with overgrown hair and unkempt clothes. What they do not think of is a college student that seemingly blends in with any other person on campus. In her TED talk “College is Creating Poverty”, Sara Goldrick-Rab discusses how homelessness and food insecurity amongst undergraduates isn’t a rare occurrence anymore. The effect of homelessness and food insecurity on college students has a direct impact on their academic achievement rates, however most institutions barely recognize the substantial scope of this issue.

DISCUSSION:

            Before someone is a student, they are a person; a developing human being with a mind that works in a certain way necessary for survival. Humans require basic nutrition, shelter, and overall good health to function and live. Psychologist Abraham Maslow created a triangle diagram later referred to as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” (Mcleod 1). This diagram maps out human motivation (a key aspect needed in learning). The purpose is to show that the needs at the bottom of the pyramid must be satisfied before a person can move up. The bottom tier begins with physiological needs as in food, water, warmth, shelter, and rest. The next level is safety and security. Those two bottom levels are grouped together as “basic needs” and, according to Maslow, are the most important. The next levels are as follows: “Love and Belonging” (friends, family, intimate relationships), and “Esteem” (sense of accomplishment, respect). These middle layers fall under psychological desires, and most people fluctuate between them all the time. Finally at the top is “Self-Actualization” (having the desire to meet one’s full potential) which is the ideal state to focus on striving towards when attending college.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

            The top tier is where true academic success can happen because one cannot make learning a priority if the lower levels are lacking in some capacity. One cannot focus on their studies if they must figure out where they’re going to sleep at night or where their next meal is going to come from. As stated previously, food and shelter, level one is the most important. This is what makes students such a unique type of person. How is it that they are the only group able to somehow skip handling level one and jump straight to level five (i.e., attending school or “bettering oneself”)? It is because schools promise to take care of that part. Think of key phrases like student living, meal plans, campus healthcare. It is advertised that all their needs will be taken care of because a student’s job is “to learn” (so they say). The issue is that skipping levels comes with a price; a price that college institutions are not paying. It is falling on the students in the form on rising tuition costs and a higher cost of living. Please refer to Sara Goldwick-Rab’s assertion “Prepare to be punished” in which was a statement she overheard one student say to another (Goldrick-Rab 1). That statement embodies how many college students today feel towards their education. Keep in mind that this was a comment she had to overhear. This is so because students are less likely to voice their concerns directly to faculty members.

            Ronald E. Hallett and Adam Freas, in their article: “The Case for a Single Point of Contact for College Students Experiencing Homelessness”, support the notion of homeless students being at a large disadvantage academically. They state that “students struggling to meet basic needs frequently have a difficult time fully engaging in postsecondary education” (Hallett, Freas 1). Students experiencing this kind of problem miss out on a lot of opportunities and resources because they simply aren’t focused on what is available to them on campus. This includes connecting with professors and other students for help to finding programs that might address their needs. Because of this, unfortunately many students facing housing instability and food insecurity are more likely to not attend class, miss assignments, and eventually drop out of school entirely.

           With this being such a common occurrence, it might seem strange as to why most institutions have yet to recognize the severity of this issue. Schools do have student assistance programs of course, but they assume that because not many students are using them, that the problem must be rare. This is not the case, and it all has to do with social constructs. The reason why colleges don’t know is because the students themselves have been reluctant to say anything. Susanna M. Martinez and Erin E. Esaryk in their journal article titled “Redefining Basic Needs for Higher Education: It’s More Than Minimal Food and Housing According to California University Students”, describe that “students may not consider themselves homeless given the associated stigma” (Martinez, Esaryk 1).  It is not a secret that attending college comes with a set of social pressures. Students lacking basic needs might feel ashamed or embarrassed to speak up about their situation. This then makes it difficult to gauge an actual percentage of those affected.

           Hallett and Freas bring up another good point when they mention that “having a “homeless student center” or a “homeless student advisor” on campus would cause students to avoid using these services even though they might benefit from them (Hallett, Freas 1). This describes how drawing too much attention to these assistance programs would backfire. Students want confidentiality. Even the location of such services must be slightly discreet. At Georgia State Perimeter Clarkston campus for example, the food pantry is located on the basement level of the H building. These measures are put in place to ensure students feel comfortable when seeking help.

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-Christpoher Catbagan (Unsplash)
Depressed Student

           Being without a stable home and regular access to food takes a direct blow to a student’s success academically. It is not because classes are “too hard” or an assumption that a particular student is unwilling to learn. It is because of the stress placed upon that individual to survive gets in the way of their education. Both sides as in the student and the institution could be held accountable. This is easier said than done, but students have to speak up and colleges must be prepared to listen and respond. It also wouldn’t hurt for society to come together and agree that tuition should be free. Students are the future of society and so that move would unify and benefit everyone in the long run. 

          Homelessness is defined as “lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence”. The phrase nighttime residence holds major significance. Home is a place where a person can retreat to when a day’s work is done. Home is a place to reset; to replenish oneself with rest and nourishment. Home is the root that grounds people and without it they are ill equipped to weather life’s many storms.

 

Work Cited

Goldrick-Rab, Sara. College is creating poverty.TED Talk. May 2019   https://www.ted.com/talks/sara_goldrick_rab_college_is_creating_poverty

 

Hallett, Ronald E.; Freas, Adam; Mo, Elaine. New Directions for Community Colleges , Winter2018, Vol. 2018 Issue 184, p39-49, 11p, 1 Chart; DOI: 10.1002/cc.20326, Database: Education Source

 

Martinez, Suzanna M.; Esaryk, Erin E.; Moffat, Laurel; Ritchie, Lorrene, American Journal Jul2021, Vol. 35 Issue 6, p818 (English Abstract Available), Database: SPORTDiscus  

 

Mcleod, Saul. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Simply Psychology. December 29, 2020. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

 

Paris College of Art SAR MP3

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Summary

            The Paris College of Art is looking to nurture a seed of artistic potential by providing an opportunity for growth and experience in a city known for its authentic creative value. The ideal student should want to attend in order to refine their craft in an inspiring and unique environment. The college’s website makes this known by using Purpose and Imagining Ideal Readers as rhetorical strategies.

Analysis

            The Paris College of Art attracts their ideal students first by making their purpose clear and then by imagining what type of readers would come to their website. PCA’s goal is to encourage culturally diverse and creative students to apply to their school. Under their Admissions tab titled “Become a Paris College of Art Student”, they give the reader a feeling of inclusivity by making them feel welcome to apply. The first sentence of this page states “Choosing the right school requires getting to know a school as well as you can before and during the application process” (PCA 1). Their purpose here is promote prospective students to learn more about the school beforehand by attending virtual tours and open houses. Links to sign up for these events are displayed in large buttons underneath the text meant to capture the reader’s attention. In doing this, they are confident about their campus and what they offer. They know that once students partake in these opportunities, they will feel excited and confident in becoming enrolled at this university. Found under the Student Life tab, PCA boasts that “More than forty countries are represented in the Paris College of Art student population, bringing to this small community a cultural diversity rare among art education institutions” (PCA 1). Diversity is their top attraction as a tool for gaining new students. After all, Paris is a European hub for people coming from many different walks of life. Paired with this block of text is a collection of diagrams and graphs explaining various student identities and backgrounds on campus. Their goal with this to show that no matter where someone comes from in the world, they are invited to join the mix. To continue the previous quote, PCA ends their statement by saying “This, combined with a location at the crossroads of Europe, makes studying at Paris College of Art a uniquely rich experience for young artists and designers” (PCA 1). It is important to note that they are proud of the location in which the school resides. The campus alone is grounds for inspiration. They want readers to know that Paris, being a huge city popular for creative movements, is the perfect place for young artists to find themselves and the niche best suited for them.

             Moving on to Imagining Ideal Readers, right off the bat one can gather that PCA is geared towards English speakers. This is an international university based in France, but the website is only in English. There isn’t even a button found anywhere that can switch the language settings. Paris college of art displays picture slides on their homepage. There is a statement on the first slide that reads “Paris College of Art is an international college with US degree-granting authority and accreditation from the national association of schools of art and design (NASAD)” (PCA 1). This shows that while they are diverse, it is largely leaning towards Americans seeking opportunities abroad. They also have French accreditation through the French Ministry of Accreditation. It is not however highlighted on the forefront of their main page: rather someone would have to dig to find this information.

            Another ideal reader they imagine would be people who have demonstrated previous artistic talent. In the Admissions section, it was made clear that students need a portfolio to apply. They have a link to an online portfolio workshop implying that this “ideal young artist” possibly would not know how to present their work. PCA is very supportive in their application process to attract someone who might be shy in their craft and relatively new to any kind of exposure. This comes in contrast to some other art institutions that are extremely exclusive and have high expectations for applicants.

           PCA also has photos and videos of students on campus to attract similar perspective students that might come across their website. Videos feature young people from various countries (for example there was a girl from Sweden and another from India) saying what program they are taking an interest in (PCA 1). All the media shown is very light and airy, showing art supplies, studios, and historic architecture. This is a place for students to work with their hands and become inspired. PCA wants to connect with the creative thinker and persuade them that this school is where they belong.

College girl in Paris Photo by Mika Baumeister

Response

            This university was successful in the plain fact that their persuasive methods worked on me. I would love to attend this institution. Three of my values from the in-class writing include “success”, “personal growth”, and “peace”. The alumni from PCA seem to have really interesting life paths after obtaining their education. They dabble in a variety of mediums including design, photography, fashion, marketing etc. They are also all located in different cities around the world. That is the perfect depiction of the successful future I see myself having. I want to always be on the go, embarking on some new adventure. Exposing myself to different cultures and ways of thinking puts me on an international level not only career wise, but also in contribution to my personal growth. When I say peace, I know that sounds very simple and easily obtained, but in my life, I had to work to value the importance of that principle. To me that includes my physical environment and my mental headspace in which go hand in hand. In order for me to create art and reach my full potential, I need peace. The Paris College of Art exudes that with their bright spacious studio classrooms and freedom of expression. I don’t want to go to this school for the soul purpose of getting a job. I want to attend this university to expose myself to what it would be like to do what I love and PCA’s strategies convince me that at their school, what I want is possible.

Work cited

Paris College of Art. PCA. Retrieved March 9, 2022, from https://www.paris.edu/

Say Hello to Samuel!

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           During my interview of Samuel Alemu, a first-year student at Georgia State Perimeter College, it was immediately clear that he is a very logical and organized thinker. He has skill in identifying patterns that will lead him to a desired outcome. Because of this, math and physics come easy to him as they consist of plugging in numbers. After analyzing more than just his response to the questions I asked, but how he answered them; I realized that he goes about all areas of his academic life using this same calculated process. Through just his body language alone, one can pick on the fact that he is attentive and precise by nature. His plain act of sitting up straight and listening makes it is apparent that Samuel’s academic self wants to be here which is arguably the core of a successful learner.

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Samuel Alemu

            Originally from Ethiopia, Samuel attends GSU as an international student. He described that his views of education shifted as he transitioned from grade school in Ethiopia to college in the United States. From a young age, education to him was paired with competition. He had the mindset that he didn’t do well unless he did better than someone else. Samuel states that “It wasn’t until I saw the value of collaboration that I realized competitiveness in the academic setting was undermining my education” (Alemu. Academic Self IP). He admitted that this was a toxic way of thinking because it blocked him from truly learning. Samuel described that when he got to college, he began to recognize the importance of collaboration. In viewing other students as a resource rather than an obstacle, he started to value feedback. In Dr. Stephen Chew’s video “Developing a Mindset for Successful Learning”, Chew explains 10 Study Strategy Principles. In particular, principle 7 says “Feedback helps you get better” (Chew). Samuel said that this principle stood out the most to him. Getting a second opinion always helps with improvement and better understanding. The idea of appreciating feedback encouraged newfound growth for Samuel’s academic self.

            It is important to note that Samuel’s previous competitive outlook innocently stemmed from his desire to make his family proud. After being asked if he had any mentors, he brought up his uncle who is a software engineer. This inspired him to major in computer science and later he hopes to pursue a career working for Linked In. It is significant that he wants to work for an online platform that aids in helping people find jobs because that is an opportunity to positively impact the future of employment. Simply put, Samuel displays that he has direction and purpose.

            Probably the hardest job for professors, academic advisors, counselors, etc. is trying to get students to realize why they are here (in college). That “why” is the living root that feeds the academic self. It can be described as an individual motivation that never runs dry.

          “Are you passionate about your chosen career path?” I asked him toward the end of the interview. He smiled. There was no hesitation, confusion, or doubt.

 

Citations:

         Alemu, Samuel. Interview. Conducted by Alyssa Harris. January 24th, 2022

         Alemu, Samuel. Academic self IP1. January 18th, 2022  

         Chew, Stephen. Ph.D. Developing a Mindset for Successful Learning. Uploaded by Samford University. March 25, 2015 https://www.samford.edu/departments/academic-success-center/how-to-study