Tag: whatsheneeds

#WhatSheNeeds: College Mentors

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#WhatSheNeeds will provide insights into the experiences of black women in college. From the freshman transition to the affects of social media, these women have a lot to say! Black women are out enrolling every other group in college, but not experiencing the same high levels of success 4 years later in their careers. Through #WhatSheNeeds, we hope to learn a little more about what she needs to succeed–what did their institutions have and what were they lacking?

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#WhatSheNeeds asked our college women about mentors in college. We found that these women drew inspiration from friends, professors, sorority sisters, and even all the other women on campus. Similar to what Polished Pebbles has said about the importance of mentorship, these girls found that their mentors helped prepare them for college life and post-graduate life. Their mentors prepared them to be successful women!

Two women summed up why mentors are necessary for a successful college experience:

“College was just like a whole new experience for me. So I had questions.” –Terri Floyd

“I know for me personally, I’m more of a hands on person. So sometimes I need help or guidance outside of the classroom. I need tutors, mentors, or just students; the student body working together to thrive outside the classroom.” –Courtny Neal

And these women found people on their campus to not only answer those questions, but to guide them on their life paths.

A few had professors they could turn towards:

“Even now, I still talk to my biology professors. They helped me try and figure out my next step for graduate school and courses. That was a great impact! Specifically, there is Dr. Cynthia Burroughs in the biology department at Philander Smith College. Just by talking to her she opened my eyes to how a psychology degree can still involve science and research; so I explored that route. She taught me to feel confident in myself. Just because I’m an African American woman, I don’t have to back down from any challenge.” –Terri FloydThe word Mentor in magazine letters on a notice board

“My advisor is supposed to be the one I go to, but I find myself going to my nursing professors because I know them so much more.” –Jasmine Hosley

“I bonded so much with a professor from my health biology class. We talk all the time and she is definitely one of my big mentors that will follow me for the rest of my life. She is in the field I want to be in and gives me advice.” –Sydney Tyler

Mentors don’t have to be professors, or even people who are older than you. Just ask these women:

“There was a girl who was a Community Assistant in my dorm, she was also from Chicago. And we just clicked hanging out in the library. So whenever I had a problem socially, academically, or emotionally she was there to guide me.” –Courtny Neal

“I met this girl in my dorm who was older and she became my mentor. I brought in the Little Rock side, where I’m from, and she gave me some California. She just answered any questions that I had in regards to classes. She let me know which professors I should connect with to help me along the route I wanted to go.” –Terri Floyd

“Within my sorority, I was able to go to my sisters for support. They’re a big motivation and support for me.” –Jasmine Hosley

Brittany Colvin had the help of a program at her college:

“I was a part of Spellman Women Empowered Through Professional Training. You sit through workshops and seminars to help us become more competent, confident, and credible when we are in the work environment after graduation. We had to come to every meeting in full business attire for a corporate setting.” 

So, what did we learn from these college women this week? No matter the age, status, or type of mentor, they are essential to helping women in college be successful!

#WhatSheNeeds: The College Transition

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#WhatSheNeeds will provide insights into the experiences of black women in college. From the freshman transition to the affects of social media, these women have a lot to say! Black women are out enrolling every other group in college, but not experiencing the same high levels of success 4 years later in their careers. Through #WhatSheNeeds, we hope to learn a little more about what she needs to succeed–what did their institutions have and what were they lacking? unnamed#WhatSheNeeds explores the transition from high school to college. As Jasmine Hosley explains, you go from being “a high schooler dependent on your mama, to a college student still kind of dependent on your mama”. While high school is meant to prepare students for the academic rigors of college, a lot of freshman still struggle their first semester. Here’s what our young women had to say about their freshman transition.

Some of the women found academics to be one of their biggest challenges:

“While I was ready, I was also not ready. Because I felt like while they were getting us ready for college, there were a lot of ways for us to get around in high school. Like, if you didn’t want to do your homework…you could have written anything down and not actually do your homework.” –Sadariah Harrel

“Well in college…you’re on your own. There’s a lot more freedom. There’s no teacher tracking you down saying, ‘Do your homework!’ There’s a lot more growing up.” –Sydney Tyler

Others had to adjust socially:

“My biggest struggle would have to be getting used to not being home and experiencing new people. You know, I’m not around people from Chicago. People who think like me, dress like me.” –Courtney Neal

What was essential for a smooth transition? Support from the college:

“The student government was helpful by working with the underclassmen with social problems, academic problems…feeling homesick. They were good at working with the students because they had been through it before. If you had a problem they were there to guide you through it, so you could have a successful school year.” –Courtney Neal freshman-orientation

“That summer before my fall semester, summer of 2006, I participated in a summer bridge program at Philander Smith. Their program was geared to those interested in the science and math departments. The programs encouraged African American students to major in science or mathematics. They provided us with a college mentor who were juniors or sophomores…I will say that was very helpful” –Terri Floyd

“I wish that it would have been a little bit easier. The whole welcome week and the activities were helpful. Dillard really makes you feel like you are at home…but at the same time it’s kind of rough. Because once [your parents are] gone it’s reality time, they’re gone and it’s time to go to school.” –Jasmine Hosley

One of the women, Jasmine Hosley, spoke of the importance of supporting others during their freshman transition:

“I do get involved when we do shadow day and everything. I like to participate and become the student ambassador and show them around and everything because I know how important it is.”

Don’t forget to give back and pass on your knowledge! We all have the potential to be mentors and supporters of other college women. Whether your actions are big or small, they are important.

#WhatSheNeeds: Parental Support

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#WhatSheNeeds will provide insights into the experiences of black women in college. From the freshman transition to the affects of social media, these women have a lot to say! Black women are out enrolling every other group in college, but not experiencing the same high levels of success 4 years later in their careers. Through #WhatSheNeeds, we hope to learn a little more about what she needs to succeed–what did their institutions have and what were they lacking?

9f7c22d95fc8216af3dc1c340fa76760#WhatSheNeeds continues with our first topic…Parental Support! For all of our interviewees, parents have been incredible supports during the college experience. But sometimes, things got a little sticky. Parents always wants what is best for their children, but sometimes this causes tension for college students. As summer is quickly passing, all you parents are getting ready to send your daughters off to college–some for the first time! We want you to know how to best support your daughters in their academic career! Here is some advice from our lovely college women…

Anessa Trask said in her interview, “Your parent’s dream career for you, may not be YOUR dream career for you.”

This is exactly what Sadariah experienced…

Sadariah Harrel is majoring in Business Management, but her dream lies in the arts:

“I’m not in school for what I want to be in school for. Me, I’m more of the creative type; I’m more of the art time. I love to write…Anything that deals with my imagination, I love to do it. And I feel like it’s such a big thing in society being an African American female, being a female period. Its like you have to be in a field where it’s like business or computer science just so you can be competitive because you are a female. And my mother she’s a computer analyst so she’s like,  “You have to do that, you have to do this.” And I’m like “No, I love English and I love reading and I want to write”. And she’s like “No. If I’m paying then you’re going for what i want you to go for”…I wasn’t doing what I wanted to do. It wasn’t fun for me. It felt like I was being forced to do something.”

On the other hand, is Sydney Tyler:

“My family supports my major 100%. A lot of my family is health professionals, so it was pretty normal when I told them I was going into the health field. They’re loving it”

This isn’t to say one family is better or more supportive than another, but parenting style does affect the college experience. It can either drive a woman to success or make her feel a little lackluster about her future.

But don’t pity Sadariah. While pursuing her business major, she knows she can express her creativity in other ways. As she told me, “I can always publish books on the side”.

Mostly, these women just want to make their families proud:proud-to-be-the-first-blog-header

“I am first generation in my family. I am the only child of a single parent. It was my first college experience with applying to colleges and getting into college. And I did it. All with the support of my mom, and it was a wonderful experience.” –Sydney Tyler

“I’m the first to go so far away. I’m far away from my family. I’m out there on my own. I’m the first person to go to an HBCU, the first person to pledge a sorority, the first person to become a nursing major. Sometimes I feel a lot of pressure because I am doing so many firsts! And I don’t want to let anyone down, or disappoint anybody. So, I’m kind of harder on myself.” –Jasmine Hosley

“Throughout my entire life I kind of felt the most pressure because I’m the only child. I’ve always been, like the ‘brain’. My cousins would always call me that and say I was a nerd. And so, I always felt like I had to live up to that, you know, title of what was given to me. Because I knew, like, no one else was fitting that at the time” –Brittany Colvin

Terri Floyd summed up the role of the parent perfectly:

“I had my family, my parents are encouragers.”

To all you parents out there with daughters headed off to college, “Be encouragers!” Your daughters want and need your support for a successful college transition and experience. Remember, you both have the same priority; to succeed! 

#WhatSheNeeds: Meet the Women

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Last week we introduced our series, #WhatSheNeeds. #WhatSheNeeds will provide insights into the experiences of black women in college. From the freshman transition to the affects of social media, these women have a lot to say! Black women are out enrolling every other group in college, but not experiencing the same high levels of success 4 years later in their careers. Through #WhatSheNeeds, we hope to learn a little more about what she needs to succeed–what did their institutions have and what were they lacking?

Before we start sharing these women’s thoughts, let’s meet them! Click on the photo to pull up their info!