Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misrepresented what the entire panel was about. The story has since been updated.
Although students are surrounded by cultural diversity everyday, many do not care to learn and explore differences and would rather find cultural stereotypes to be true, according to students in the audience at a journalism panel.
The Department of Journalism wants to change that way of thinking. As a part of the Professionals-in-Residence Series, Youngah Lee, a public relations professor from Seoul, South Korea, led an international panel discussion on Oct 27. The panel talked about transitions from their home country, adjusting to the American culture and feeling the need to stand up for their country, as well as cultural stereotypes.
Four students from different backgrounds were featured on the panel—three were foreign students born in Saudi Arabia, Brazil and India, and one was a student who studied abroad in Ireland. While all four students came from different backgrounds, they all had to overcome cultural stereotypes while going to school.
Ghadah Alnahdi, from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, moved to the U.S. five years ago to attend Ball State. The public relations major said she was surprised by the cultural shock and stereotypes of people. Because she looked different, people would ask where she was from, and they would make assumptions once she told them.
“When I moved here I got a lot of, ‘Oh, you are from Saudi Arabia, oh, you have a lot of oil,’” Alnahdi said. “It was just frustrating for me because the reality is that is not me personally, it is the country. That is just a stereotype of the region I come from.”
Pearl Mohankumar, a graduate student studying public relations, came to the U.S. from Chennai, India, with her own assumption and stereotype of Americans and said she was surprised to find it to not be true.
“I assumed with the United States being the melting pot of the world, people would be open and accepting of people who look different and came from different cultures,” Mohankumar said. “I just don’t find that to be true in the Midwest.”
Junior magazine major and audience member Chelsea Scofield said she agreed with Mohankumar’s view on Midwest Americans.
“I feel like in the Midwest, not only are people raised closed-minded but they just don’t care to learn about other cultures,” Scofield said. “People accept stereotypes because it's easier than getting to actually know people. It’s important that [Americans] realize that the stereotypes are not the truth.”
Lee said the purpose of the panel discussion was for students to have the chance to look past cultural stereotypes and learn about different people and ways of life in a world that changing.
“This country is changing,“ Lee said. “It is becoming even more and more diverse and people will have to learn to live and interact with different people. This discussion between panel members and the audience shows that there can be an acceptance of cultural diversity.”
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