When students first embark on their college journey, many factors make the transition intimidating. For many, the prospect of living independently, adjusting to new academic demands and acclimating to a new social environment can make college feel overwhelming. But for students of color at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), these challenges are often compounded, making this feeling particularly acute.
Minority students are disproportionately likely to be first-generation college students, according to a study from the U.S. Department of Education. While being among the first in one’s family to attend college is a major accomplishment, it can also produce feelings of self-doubt and detachment. This belief, otherwise known as impostor syndrome, is a major driver behind adverse academic and mental health outcomes. Thus, understanding how to alleviate the struggles of POC students can produce equitable university-wide outcomes.
At RIT, multicultural organizations offer students opportunities to embrace their cultural identity and feel more at home. Groups ranging from the Caribbean Student Association to the Global Union revel in their diversity, celebrating the variety of backgrounds and perspectives from their constituents.
The Asian Culture Society (ACS), RIT’s largest Asian cultural group on campus, positions itself as a cultural home and support network for prospective students. Andrew Dea, a fourth year Mechanical Engineering student and the vice president of ACS, reflected on how his involvement with the club helped him develop a sense of belonging.
“Being in ACS has helped me navigate being in the RIT community through not only ACS’s events, but… [through] the other events that the campus has available,” Dea stated. “The connections that I’ve made with people, especially when I was first joining the executive board … helped me adjust to college and introduced me to how things work.”
Through events like the Night Market — an event showcasing different performance organizations in Rochester — ACS intends to spotlight the richness of Asian culture while fostering communities between campus and the broader Rochester area.
An oft-overlooked aspect of social life at PWIs is multicultural Greek life. Similar to cultural clubs, multicultural Greek organizations affirm cultural pride; however, through their structured commitment to professional support and leadership initiatives, they uniquely intertwine academic success with social pride.
Sergio Mercado-Nuñez, a fourth year Computer Engineering student and the president of the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), contended with imposter syndrome at the beginning of college as a Mexican-American student. However, through his fraternity—Lambda Alpha Upsilon— and his eventual involvement with MGC, Mercado-Nuñez learned that his cultural identity and professional aspirations could reinforce one another.
“There’s so many organizations that try to build within their own communities and show off their culture,” Mercado-Nuñez stated. “You bring more to RIT’s campus than you take away. And being a part of these cultural groups helps you express it more and express it to other people that are like-minded as well.”
For new students struggling with impostor syndrome and a lack of belonging, both Dea and Mercado-Nuñez encourage exploring cultural organizations. By seeking out these spaces, students position themselves to build lifelong, culturally robust connections.
