College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Beginning September 17, ISU’s Office of Multicultural Student Affairs & Writing and Media Center offer FREE peer tutoring services for MSA students working on any form of written, oral, visual, or electronic communication!

As I got here to Iowa State, I didn’t realize how much of an impact this new environment would have on me and my identity. I come from Des Moines, Iowa, which definitely has a diverse population when in comparison to Ames Iowa. I grew up playing soccer most of my childhood and with the sport, I was able to meet many different people from different demographic groups. With that I found myself making friends with a lot of my peers, we came from different parts of world, but our love of the sport united us.

Content Warning: This post briefly discusses depression, suicide ideation, and planning.

Although Iowa State’s campus is not New York City, it can still be hectic making your way from one end of campus to another on any given day.

We’ve all had our share of experiences weaving through packed sidewalks on our way to our next class, or lunch, to our rooms, or any of the other dozens of places we as busy college students need to be. We all know the feeling of squeeeeeezing by a group of people along Osborn while hurrying to catch the next bus.

It can be rough out there, can’t it?

I don’t consider being Black to be a major part of my personality but somehow, it’s the first thing that people notice about me. I don’t walk around campus constantly thinking about the fact that I’m Black but every once in a while (meaning very often), something happens that brings it to the forefront. Here is a list of the most common things that remind me that I’m Black:

I never thought I’d want to leave the Midwest. I had always been a homebody, and the thought of even leaving Minnesota to go to Iowa was a huge deal (it’s really not, I know). During my spring semester of sophomore year, I received the weekly Psych Advising bulletin. I wasn’t expecting for much to “speak to me”, but then I came across an opportunity that would change my life. I came across an advertisement for “Undergraduate Summer Workshop in the Interdisciplinary Mind and Brain Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.”

CyDog? BullClone? Sound confusing? Yeah it did to me too. I am a 3 + 3-year student at Iowa State and Drake University Law School. Essentially, I am finishing my undergrad while starting my first year of law school. So while I am no longer on ISU’s campus, and am full-time at Drake, I will be crossing the ISU stage this May (wooohoo!!!).  

So how's law school?!