Bellevue College is a transfer school. Its student population consists of people who come in order to leave. There’s nothing wrong with that, I know that was my mindset. But regardless of why anyone is at BC or how much they want to leave, they’re still here. And “here,” is college –something that consists of so much more than an education. College is an experience, it’s a chance for many different people to come together into one community and have fun. Sure, if you look for them, there are plenty of small communities on campus. But every single one of those communities is secluded from each other.
A sense of community is the best part about college; it creates the foundation for new relationships to form, for school spirit to dominate and most importantly, for etxperiences to be made. I realize that it is a little difficult to cater to a student population ranging from high school students to seniors, but it is completely possible to create a community for everyone. Although it complicates the process a little, the problem isn’t who composes the student population. The problem is a lack of trying.
Of course every individual community makes an effort. BC sports is coming up with different methods to raise attendance at games, like offering free food. El Centro Latino has been hosting events over the last couple of months to increase awareness of Latino culture. Everyone is trying, but they’re not trying together.
There is such a severe disconnect between every entity of this school it’s astounding. There are many factors that play into the success of a college community: sports; the student government; the administration and every other club, program and organization created to appeal to different students. They all have something to offer, but their full potential cannot be reached if they keep trying alone. There needs to be more communication on campus and every single person involved in any of these institutions has a responsibility to the rest of the student population.
Everyone here is working towards the same goal. But until they reach out and listen, they will continue to fail. They need to work together to create an experience for every single student at this school.
I know that BC is an adamant advocate for diversity. And that’s an incredible thing, we’re so lucky to be on a campus with so many different kinds of people. But, such an intense focus on diversity, instead of nurturing the BC culture, is fostering exclusivity. The resulting divide is preventing a successful BC community from forming.
We need to stop focusing so much on how we’re different and focus more on how we’re the same. Whether we like it or not we are all a part of one community. Step up and do your part.