Author: Stephanie Brown-Richards
Ben Pok code switches for success
Ben sat down with the Cambodian prince and crossed his legs. Each time the prince spoke, Ben responded back, sometimes with a question or counter statement. His friend, sitting in the next seat, leaned over and whispered, “Dude, what the hell is going on? This is not okay.” Though crossed legs and conversational responses are not considered inappropriate behavior in the United States, d...
McNair Scholar graduate heads to Michigan to pursue research on racial and ethnic identity
This spring, Stephanie Miller, a senior double majoring in psychology and sociology, will graduate from Westminster College as a McNair Scholar—a program she said has opened doors for her and helped grow her confidence in ways she never could have anticipated as a female college student of color. In the fall, Miller will head to the University of Michigan for graduate school, where she said s...
Meet the student commencement speaker for class of 2017
Laleh Ghotbi, a graduate student in the masters of arts and teaching program, will represent the class of 2017 as the student commencement speaker at Westminster College's graduation today. Ghotbi is a non-traditional student from Afghanistan. Though her background is different from many students' at Westminster, the student commencement speaker selection committee said they felt her passion ...
Course addressing drugs and the criminal justice system is cut from Westminster’s curriculum
Now that a course addressing drugs and the criminal justice system has been cut from the curriculum at Westminster College, there's one fewer opportunity for students to engage in conversations about the topic. Though an ASW Life 101 panel discussion addressed the topic on April 4, low event turnout signaled students may need a more structured environment to open conversations and ask questions ab...
Students say social media spurs FOMO (fear of missing out)
Looking back on spring break, students who didn't travel for trips home, adventures with friends or solo excursions said they felt a disconnect as social media posts from their peers' break activities began to appear.“There’s a stigma about spring break,” said Alexys Smith, a sophomore communication major. “I had some friends that weren’t going to do anything and they were like freaking out. Like,...
Economic diversity and student outcomes at Westminster College
Two jobs and a lot of discipline—that's how Christina Tergevorkian, a junior accounting major at Westminster College, said she planned to put herself through college. She said she didn't receive help from her parents to pay for school, so she applied for scholarships, loans and FAFSA grants. The remainder of her tuition was paid out of her own pocket.A new study from The Equality of Opportunity Pr...
Western yoga is revolutionized through modern practice
Though yoga has become widely used for its rehabilitative qualities, some have raised questions of whether American culture has evolved the practice from its more traditional origins. However, Westminster College yoga professors said they acknowledge the history of the practice in their classes and attempt to engage their students in a connection with the mind, body and spirit.“I think a lot of pe...
Alcohol age limit inconsistencies across globe affect international students
It was Ashley Dechant's first night in Utah. She didn't have many friends, but she was with a group of four boys and four girls who piled into a car to drive to a University of Utah fraternity party. They didn't know which house it was, so they went around back to see if they could see anything.They found a girl in the backyard surrounded by other drunk friends, who were shoving a toothbrush down ...