Dear Editor,
As a Quinnipiac University Alumni, I’d like to say that I am appalled and disgusted by the recent behavior by students at the University. Nov. 4, 2008 was a notorious day for America, a day that will go down in history, a day we will tell our children and grandchildren about–yet students from the University I graduated from just two and a half years ago are caught up in racism and bigotry. Unfortunately, this is not a new issue that President Lahey is dealing with, as there were similar issues last year. It’s true that Quinnipiac is not a diverse campus in the least and administration has been working to increase the diversity. Yet how are students from other backgrounds going to be interested in a campus that is flush with “hate crimes” and racism?
This behavior from these young adults is grotesque and something needs to be done immediately. I do not understand how students who, for the most part, come from middle and upper class America are so ignorant as to create such problems at such an incredible school. I absolutely loved Quinnipiac and would recommend the school to anyone, yet after these reoccurring issues, I admit that I am ashamed to say that I called the school home for four years. It also makes me wonder, as a young professional, will the issues with racism at Quinnipiac cause problems in my future careers? Will prospective employers look at me differently after they see Quinnipiac University, Class of 2006 on my resume?
I currently work at a Boys & Girls Club outside Boston in the Development office. I love my job, the people I work with and the children I serve. How is it that the youth who inspire me everyday, who come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, who live under extreme social and economic circumstances, are able to get along with each other, yet “snobby, rich kids” at Quinnipiac cannot handle the slightest bit of diversity? The children I work with are Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian and for the first time in my life, my Caucasian background classifies me as a minority. These inner city kids are some of the most caring, respectful people I have met in my life. It makes me sick that these kids can get along, respect each other and their differences and work together, while Quinnipiac students who were raised, for the most part, in upper class suburbs are struck with hate for other cultures. These students are supposed to be adults, growing up in a world of understanding, where history is being made. America has come so far, yet these students are pushing us backwards, hurting others who deserve the same respect as everyone else. I truly hope conditions at Quinnipiac improve. I have so much respect and admiration for those students who are dealing firsthand with this atrocious and immature behavior and I hope, for their sake, they can stay strong and endure this terrible time at the University.
Although I loved being at Quinnipiac with all my heart, I am embarrassed to call it my school. I completed my Masters Degree at Boston University in May and at this point, I have so much more pride in that school then I do for Quinnipiac. I hope I can go back to telling people how proud I am to have graduated from Quinnipiac, but until these students straighten out, I will remain embarrassed to call myself an alumna. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Bethany Dionne
Quinnipiac University School
of Communication ’06
