By: Essence Buckman, Staff writer

Wofford College started off as an institution that accepted only white males to eventually accepting females and males of all colors. In general, the female attendance is level with male attendance, but the amount of color within these students is usually low. Wofford has made some progress from initially accepting African-American students to all types of races and ethnicities, including international students. Throughout the most recent years, admissions insist that they have been making the intense effort for Wofford to be a more diverse school, in this case color-wise.

The number of students of color accepted within these past four years have been around the same. The freshman who were admitted in year 2012 and 2013, consisted of 17 percent students of color, 2014 rose by 6 percent, and those admitted in 2015 (current class of 2019) dropped back to 17 percent. Out of each class of about 400 plus students, there are between 30 and 40 students of color on average.

Being a part of the class of 2018, who were admitted here in 2014, I have heard that this school plans to try to appeal to more students of color so that they may choose to attend Wofford. While seeing different shades of skin tones at a deemed “Predominantly White Institution,” or PWI, is considered to be a great thing of progress, a problem is still present. Why do the majority of these colored student not feel welcomed on this campus? Why does it seem like the college claims diversity is present by quantity, but not quality?

A common problem among students of color on campus is that they do not feel a part of the social life on campus, especially if they are non-athletes.

One example serves as a leading reason why we feel on the “outside looking in.” Arguably, Greek Life consumes this campus. African-American students and others of color do not have the privilege to participate in these activities and feel like they are left out. We receive the backlash of it’s our fault if we do not join. To briefly clarify on this issue, speaking from the African American point of view, we have grown up only hearing of NPHC or National Pan-Hellenic Council, black Greek organizations. These Divine 9 organizations are joined by our multiple family members and friends. So we grow up interested in these things and have not heard of what is present on campus. While we do have the choice to join what is available, we should not be criticized for the desire for Divine 9 organizations on campus. The intent is not to segregate Greek life, and definitely not to conform to a certain aspect of Greek life if we have hopes for a different aspect.

Due to no options, we are therefore left out. With or without this reason, from constant band parties and shagging, we feel as if the social aspects here are just plain and repetitive, not various. When I speak, I am not speaking for 100 percent of the students of color, as a few do learn to feel welcomed by this campus, but for the majority of us, we struggle with the constant thoughts of transferring because our social life affects our performance in classes due to dissatisfaction with feeling nothing but an education is available for us here. Residence life on a college campus is more complex than simply getting a degree.