Research Paper Worries

Writing a research paper for the most part is foreign territory for me. I feel like the only research project I can remember any detail about was assigned in my cultural geography class sophomore year. The project was to bring in five items that originated in the country we chose to research. Most of us brought in some kind of food our country was known for. Not much writing was involved besides a brief explanation about the things we brought in to represent the country we researched.  If I remember correctly my write up was even in bullet points. I don’t know what to expect from the upcoming research paper other then I may have to go to the dreaded library for the first time because of it. My biggest fear is I will not be able to relate to the subject I am researching and just have to push my way through it like the last paper we were assigned in this class since I really couldn’t think of a reading or writing experience that changed my perspective or influenced me in a dramatic way. That’s all for now have a good rest of the weekend everybody.

Civic Engagement: The University as a public Good (Critical thinking #2)

The Steps a University must take to insure cultural diversity in Cantor’s opinion is to “build on themes of diversity, not only in admissions and in recruiting, but also in creating living and learning communities that will produce a citizenry that is both engaged and informed.” (p.93) This statement means that universities should encourage and support cultural diversity not only through who a college admits but also by creating an environment where students get the chance to explore different cultures in order to better understand them. Personally I think that Cantor’s idea is to force diversity on students which shouldn’t be a university’s job. Cultural diversity can separate people because of difference instead of bringing people together through common interests or similar values. I believe the university’s responsibility is to provide a solid foundation for young people and educate them in preparation for the real world.

What multiculturalism and diversity mean to Western Michigan University

Part of the Western Michigan University mission is to “Incorporate participation from diverse individuals in decision-making” This is important to the university because having several different outlooks can help us better decide what the best course of action is for any situation. Whether we are managing funding for school organizations or considering the minimum grade point average our athletes need to obtain to participate in sports, many different views need to be considered. If we all had the same point of view many important aspects would be overlooked. Multiculturalism is defined as the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation. At western the Division of Multicultural Affairs is an organization set up primarily to help students succeed, however, it also promotes cultural awareness to help us better understand cultures and customs unfamiliar to us and learn the benefits of those foreign cultures.