Before some of IU's black leaders offered congratulations and advice to the freshmen, Jacobs School of Music student Saran Oseitutu sang "To be Young, Gifted and Black," accompanied by a pianist.
"I am young, gifted and black," many of the students repeated, encouraged by the speakers.
The gathered freshmen were presented Thursday night with the Neal-Marshall pin at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.
“Let’s take a minute to acknowledge where we are right now and the blessing we have to be sitting in this room while everything else that is going on in the United States right now,” said Zachary Price, president of the Black Graduate Student Association.
Black students account for 4.5 percent of the undergraduate population, Black Student Union president Calieel Muhammad said.
“Regardless of your background, where you come from or who you claim yourself to be, you are the minority,” Muhammad said. “Oftentimes you may walk this campus and feel out of place or feel as if you don’t belong.”
Muhammad said after his first two weeks at IU he was ready to quit, but then he told himself that he was in control.
“Do not let a small percentage be the determinant of your college experience,” Muhammad said. “Make the best out of everything that you put yourself into. Use being the minority as the motivation to strive 10 times harder at reaching your goals.”
Muhammad and other speakers urged students to take advantage of the resources available to them.
“IU is indeed a very special place,” said dean of the University graduate school James Wimbush. “You have the experiences, the resources and the support that enables you to thrive while you are here on this campus.”
Price spoke about his experiences as a black student and gave the freshmen three tips. He told students that they should be comfortable reinventing, repairing and remembering themselves at the end of the day.
“You need to be able to repair yourself,” Price said. “College is going to be a trying time. No ifs, ands or buts about it. There is going to be sweat, blood and tears in that ink etched on your name on that degree.”
Price said it doesn’t matter who or what a student believes in, life will always work its way out.
“College is going to be traumatic,” Price said. “Learn how to discern and find your community and support those around you. Learn to be simultaneously solo, but individually unified.”
Lecturer Virginia Githiri applauded students for overcoming first day and first week fears and jitters and reminded the students that they are still there.
“The spirits of your ancestors are cheering for you,” Githiri said. “There are many who came before you who could only dream about obtaining a college degree, no less a college degree at an institution that is known as a predominantly white institution such as Indiana University.”
After the speakers finished, the volunteers lined up along the front and far side of the room and presented freshmen with their pins. The students were encouraged to think of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture as a second home.
“You are talented, beautiful, driven, proud, insecure or nervous,” Price said. “You are playwrights, statisticians and business leaders. Black. That’s what you all are. More than just buzzwords and retweets. This is what you are.”
