Calling all black Mners with university age kids!

[GreenLeafs]

Now this isn’t about universities that are full of black kids, nor is it meant to be about diversity policies the Unis have (some aren’t worth the paper it’s on!). It’s about top excellent universities where young black students feel comfortable and where they are just accepted as part of the student body.

Since I have embarked on the whole uni journey, I’ve noticed more and more, bright young kids deciding they are not going to university A, because it’s ‘too white and unfriendly’ and opting for university B, well below what they are capable of because there are lots of black people there. Oxbridge for instance, not even on their radar despite have excellent academics, supra curriculars etc. My DD and friends have already ruled out certain universities, so I’m hoping to start the conversation here. Where are your dc going or have been?

My daughters (mixed race - a quarter black, but DD2 looks black) are both having an amazing time in Cambridge.

But there’s probably racism underneath. Recently a college awarded prizes to young people of black origin who had outstanding achievements (DD2 got one). In the writing on instagram, the college noted that 3% of the UK population was black, but at the college, 4% of the college was black.

I don’t know if the figures above are true but underneath the post on Instagram there were plenty of posts arguing that this was racism against white people and that black people were now over represented at Cambridge. 🙄😡 Shocking.

That aside both girls are very happy and have friends from all races, and feel that they fit in. Ditto their friends who are 100% black. It may however depend on which college they go to. DD1’s boyfriend (white) is at a particularly rich/prestigious college, and he says he can sense undertones of racism/bullingdon club type behaviour there. 😰 Depressing.

Academically they are doing well - DD1 got a first in her end of year exams last year, and four random prizes over the summer. She has done a lot of work as a BAME rep and on outreach so am sure would be able to answer any specific questions.

She has really thrived at Cambridge and increased in in confidence there. DD2 has just started so this remains to be seen!

Apologies if this all sounds like boasting - I just wanted to give you a positive - and true - account of Cambridge life for my DDs.

@RaskolnikovsGarret Thanks very much for your very informative and encouraging post. It’s Not boasting at all but exactly the kind of post I was hoping for. Well done to your DD’s you must be so proud of them. I agree about the Instagram post, that it was probably put there to say, ‘see how well we are doing with diversity!’.

@Planplaypray thanks for your post also. I admit I chuckled at your not wanting to go to Oxbridge for fear of not fitting in but then opted for Durham. I think Durham is even more insular being up north. Anyway, glad to read you had a great time there and even found LOVE! Just goes to show.
Thanks so much both of you for posting, great stories.

Greenleafs Durham is ieven more insular for being up North?
Surely, tongue in cheek there? Honest? Is that your view? Maybe I'm biased though. Great mentoring scheme in place.
www.blackstudentsnetwork.org/

Hi Echo, I assumed as it's further away from the capital, London, Durham will be more white and Cambs more diverse? I've never been up there, is this wrong? did you go to Durham as well?

@Greenleafs . It was "insular" that made me smile- as opposed to "more white". I'm Northern born so biased I guess.

I did one of my degrees at Durham, first degree was at a different Northern RG. Long ago now. I loved Durham. I'm sure that a good experience also depends on what you study, as discussed earlier up thread.

I can't say I've ever felt the draw to London, or Cambs, must be cos I can't say "bath" and "scone" proper-like.

Here's a breakdown of students by ethicity at Durham if you are interested. Their mentoring scheme impresses me.
www.dur.ac.uk/resources/student.registry/statistics/summary/1.6ethnic/201-6.pdf

Hi again! Interesting link and the numbers aren’t bad. Rightly or wrongly I assume ‘too white’ also equals insular, as in intolerant of ethnic minorities, resistance to cultural differences, love of the ‘empire’ and all that goes with it and basically uninterested in anything outside white norm. I’m delighted to see I’m wrong and that the two can exist separated .

As for Bath and scone - ‘Barth’, ‘Scoan’.

You see, I jusr wouldn't pass that Baaarth test of yours. Greenleafs.

(I've just had a flashback of some posh first year from "daaahn saaahf" at Leeds Uni in the 1970's. Telling me how to pronounce "studious" properly. Apparently, "stew dee us" was hilarious. In turn, I was gobsmacked that someone would call their son, Giles } He was, in fact, a misogynistic little creep. Long forgotten till just now.

I hope that we both mellowed with age.

Durham has an interesting history. Pilgrim route, mining, and a strong trade union industrial background. Lots of political history taught through the unions back then, and the Workers Educational Association.
(A big shout out to them, still going strong)

It was warm to "strangers" I found. I hope that it still is.
Maybe I'm being a bit rose tinted specs though?
There are always racists wherever you go.

I was pleasantly surprised at the breakdown of figures, encouraging aren't they?

Those figures are VERY encouraging. I also watched a video recently about Durham and the president of the SU was a black woman (hope it wasn't an old vid).

I don't mind a bit of healthy banter such as you describe from poshos wayback, at least everyone is talking. It's the complete disinterest in ethnic minorities that's unhealthy and leads to feelings of complete isolation. Sounds like you had a good laugh. Poor Giles!

Yes, you are right I just had a look, President is a black woman!
One day it will be unremarkable, great to see change happening!

How is one supposed to pronounce studious?

(Oxbridge, countless OE friends and associates, several wordy professions - how have I been saying it wrong all these years?)

Probably a stupid question, are you including black overseas students or British black students?

Hi wizzywig, including in what? Not too sure what you mean.

The general discussion?
I think we are just talking on the thread, about young black people not feeling isolated, and seeing other people who look like us, around us. Although the discussion meanders around and about, as conversations do.

The Durham figures?
I'm no specialist on the breakdown, but if you look at my link. For Full Time students - it's BME e.g. Asian/British/ Indian
Black/British/African
etc.
Followed by BME descriptors without "British" included in descriptor.
Which includes BME overseas students (I assume.)

I'm looking at the stats purely from the point of view of looking around seeing other black women on the course. Which is something I didn't see way back in the day, and would have made a world of difference. And still does.

There are more stats on the Durham site if you want to look further into overseas students etc. Overseas students however, come in all colours, whereas I was looking at " here is a woman who looks like me".

@EdmontinaTiresofNameFlipping

How is one supposed to pronounce studious?

(Oxbridge, countless OE friends and associates, several wordy professions - how have I been saying it wrong all these years?)

According to "Giles"

To sound proper you have to put a random "Y" in.
Sty oodyus. Or summat?

I'm bottom of the class when it comes to a cut glass English accent, but I think there is a Cunning Linguists Board on MN who might have the proper gen on pronunciation. I'm a lost cause! Lawd knows I've tried!.

To sound proper you have to put a random "Y" in.
Sty oodyus. Or summat?

WHAAAT??
I say, 'Stuu dious'

Oh. Yeah (Yah! …) I put in lots of ‘y’s! Would have pronounced it like that from your spelling anyway.

Yah! Makes me laugh. Or should I say laaarff?

Yah! Is Geoff, a former work colleague, Dragon School Prep, Marlborough, Oxon.

Enough already, I need to go into therapy, I'm being retraumatised.
I thought this was all behind me, in my jolly retirement

I realise now, it's about privileged white men with names beginning with G.

My youngest attended the London Shool of Economics and was very happy there; passing with honours
When I attended the open parents day there were loads of japanese, africans and saudi parents with offspring and my daughters lectures mate had a Asian father and Swiss mother so its fair to say it was truly mixed.
I never got any racist vibes and she thrived in the environment, hope it still has that ethos now. I would say that it may be a university worth checking out depending on whatever degree you'd be studying for