Segregation in Kilcawley raises a few eyebrows
Maysoon Abdelrasul
Issue date: 2/24/05 Section: pageone
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From her seat behind the Candy Counter at Kilcawley Center, junior Amanda Yeager watches much of the daily action that occurs in the bustling center of student activity.
Located across the way from the Candy Counter is the Lariccia International Student Lounge, a study lounge that is often filled.
However, Yeager said she often notices what many other students and professors also seem to see happening in the lounge: racial self-segregation.
Steve Ellyson, a psychology professor, said he has noticed the self- segregation in Kilcawley Center but said he would not go so far as to call it racism.
"It's human nature to be comfortable with what is most familiar," he said.
Youngstown State University is a diverse university with many different races and ethnicities making up YSU's total enrollment of 12,396 students. Many say despite the university's ethnic makeup, most students are seen with people of their own race.
Senior Jairus Ford has been at YSU for about four years and said he has rarely seen the different races join together. He said the separation is apparent when looking in the International Study Lounge in Kilcawley; black students frequent the lounge while white students are hardly seen.
"It's sad to see it that way, but that's the way it is," Ford said.
The senior said he noticed as more and more people come to YSU, they become a part of what already exists instead of attempting to go outside of their comfort zone. Being diverse is important but not at the cost of breaking out of common ground, Ford said.
Yeager agreed with Ford, and said she believes much of self-segregation occurs because students enjoy "hanging out with people from their high school."
"But it can be a good thing if you have a fear of meeting people," Yeager added.
A place where students say self-segregation cannot be missed is at the Marketplace in Kilcawley. Yeager said when she walks into the dining room, she very rarely sees interaction between different races and ethnicities.
Located across the way from the Candy Counter is the Lariccia International Student Lounge, a study lounge that is often filled.
However, Yeager said she often notices what many other students and professors also seem to see happening in the lounge: racial self-segregation.
Steve Ellyson, a psychology professor, said he has noticed the self- segregation in Kilcawley Center but said he would not go so far as to call it racism.
"It's human nature to be comfortable with what is most familiar," he said.
Youngstown State University is a diverse university with many different races and ethnicities making up YSU's total enrollment of 12,396 students. Many say despite the university's ethnic makeup, most students are seen with people of their own race.
Senior Jairus Ford has been at YSU for about four years and said he has rarely seen the different races join together. He said the separation is apparent when looking in the International Study Lounge in Kilcawley; black students frequent the lounge while white students are hardly seen.
"It's sad to see it that way, but that's the way it is," Ford said.
The senior said he noticed as more and more people come to YSU, they become a part of what already exists instead of attempting to go outside of their comfort zone. Being diverse is important but not at the cost of breaking out of common ground, Ford said.
Yeager agreed with Ford, and said she believes much of self-segregation occurs because students enjoy "hanging out with people from their high school."
"But it can be a good thing if you have a fear of meeting people," Yeager added.
A place where students say self-segregation cannot be missed is at the Marketplace in Kilcawley. Yeager said when she walks into the dining room, she very rarely sees interaction between different races and ethnicities.