For an institution of higher learning to be successful it is critical that the opinions and world views of the campus are not homogenous. To help reflect the rich heterogeneity of our nation and world, colleges must attract cultural groups that are underrepresented on their campuses.
In an effort to broaden the appeal of a liberal arts education to students of color, Hamilton began the Summer Starter Program. Andrea DuVall, Associate Dean of Admissions and Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment at Hamilton College, is happy to bring 30 motivated, goal-oriented students to "the hill" for a week of challenge, fun and reflection each summer.
In an attempt to better utilize the fine Hamilton facilities in the rather dormant summer months and to increase name recognition and diversity, DuVall launched the program, that is now in its third year of existence. The program is funded through the generosity of the Vasey Foundation and is offered at no expense to the student.
Students must meet a handful of requirements to be eligible for the program. For consideration they must be of African American/Black, Latin American/Hispanic, Asian or Native American descent. Furthermore, applicants must have a 3.0 GPA or better in college preparatory classes, be significantly involved in school and / or community activities, and be a rising junior or senior during the summer of the program.
The students come from schools in Washington, D.C., New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois and California. Activities include various sessions on the liberal arts, research on the colleges and careers that would best suit the student, and on and off-campus activities designed to expose students to the broader aspects of the college experience.
The students also attend a handful of classes taught by Hamilton professors. Some of the topics of the classes include "Why are Israelis and Palestinians Killing Each Other?," "Economics for Those Who Flunked It," and "The Neuroscience of Vision." Some of the students also took classes such as, "To Be or Not to Be: What Does Hamlet Mean?" and "Clarity! Beauty! Power! The Joys and Perils of Argument."
Associate Professor of Sociology Mitchell Stevens taught a writing seminar to the 30 students. It was apparent that not only had Stevens taught these students valuable writing lessons, but he had also left a lasting personal impression. After the conclusion of his writing seminar on Thursday, Stevens became the center of an impromptu photo shoot with his young friends. The handful of students who had brought a camera to their morning lesson insisted on him being in their group picture.
Afterwards Stevens commented on the impressive writing skills of the students. He said that he could tell that these were high performers in their high schools back home. Furthermore, the students were "On their way to becoming well prepared candidates for college admission." Stevens said that college preparatory classes probably weren't the central focus of their high schools. Because of this he was happy to have the opportunity to show how college level writing was different from the papers they had to prepare for their high school teachers.
Stevens said that in high schools pupils are taught to focus more on their writing skills and less on the actual content of their work. The workshop he taught helped show the students that writing isn't simply about submitting verse for a teacher to read, but should center on educating a general audience on a topic.
Rudolph Walker, a rising senior from Baltimore, MD, was enjoying the sense of responsibility he was given during the program. "They give you a sense of responsibility for yourself, there is no one looking over your shoulder to make sure you get your homework done, just like in college." Walker also added that he, "Like(s) the balance between fun activities, like Pub night and the trip to Syracuse and school, because college is about more than just school."
Most of the students were appreciative of the college search lessons they learned at Hamilton, while other enjoyed the opportunity to learn about subjects they had never been exposed to. Angelica Rodriguez liked that the program provided "exposure to a lot of different classes and areas of study – like economics."
DuVall takes pleasure in seeing the students' eyes open to the possibilities of a liberal arts education. "I enjoy showing them where their talent can go and how all their hard work can payoff."
