Any one going to the Bridges program?

<p>I can’t believe I’m reading this. How incredibly judgmental and uninformed.</p>

<p>This thread is a prime example of why the Bridges program is a GREAT idea. Perhaps Miami is hoping to find students who have a more comprehensive view of diversity that goes beyond physical appearances, or students who don’t marginalize others.</p>

<p>And, you know, some of us posters might be involved with the “LGBT crowd” at Miami… (hint: me). I have never heard of an ally being hit on. Some allies are incredibly involved with Spectrum (the undergraduate LGBTQA association) because they believe that the LGBT community should have equal rights under the law. I don’t understand why OHKid assumes that LGBT persons will harass other students. Unwanted attention that won’t stop is harassment any way you look at it, and it wouldn’t be tolerated.</p>

<p>I hope you have a great experience, Alex. Who cares if you’re one of the only white kids? You’ll meet plenty of awesome people either way.</p>

<p><a href=“%5Burl=http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063415132-post20.html]#20[/url]”>quote</a> Yeah, my parents would let me apply because they were afraid I would be labeled as LGBT…

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<p>Fortunately, many students have parents that prepare them for living in society. Other parents fall short and pass on fears. Be it from ignorance or something else, the children are the ones the ultimately suffer from the misdirection.</p>

<p>^Yeah, I agree. I wish I could have gone myself, since I would love to meet future Miami students myself and will probably join cultural diversity clubs if I attend (I am a hardcore liberal, and one of the main reasons why is because of social injustice that I see from many people in my WASP-y community where I reside).</p>

<p>HOWEVER, my parents thought that my attendance would lead to faculty and peer discrimination against me because I would be labeled as such (probably didn’t explain this well enough in post #20, as I noticed the wording in my second paragraph was bad…). Having such a label would obviously lead to many future problems.</p>

<p>Also, I may be mistaken, but isn’t this a scholarship reserved for DIVERSE STUDENTS? I am not a diverse student except for my oddball childhood/years up to now, and I have no legitimate reason to apply for this scholarship, except for wanting cash. I assume that Alex doesn’t, either. Although I probably could have written a couple of essays on the stressful points in my life and have been accepted, I did not due to parent restriction and their belief that this scholarship was not mine.</p>

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<p>I CARE!!!</p>

<p>Sorry to take the Republican stance on this, but I don’t want my tax dollars as an Ohio citizen wasted on this scholarship that this student obviously does not deserve. </p>

<p>I would hope that students who actually deserved to participate in this program would also be as disgusted and outraged as I am, since this individual could be taking away a scholarship from a deserving student who actually had cultural diversity, financial need, and a desire to attend Miami U. </p>

<p>The minority community is severely supressed at Miami (take a look at Princeton Review for justification of this claim), and this is a great way to help its members feel welcome at Miami U. Throwing in undeserving people into the mix is bad for the morale of the program and for the self-esteem of serious participants.</p>

<p>So, essentially, you’re claiming that because Alex has only self-identified as white and Catholic, s/he does not deserve a scholarship. Of course, you’re leaving out myriad possibilities for how s/he might contribute to diversity at Miami. I mean, I doubt that my ethnicity is the best thing that I’ve given back to Miami (although they’ve recruited me for the viewbooks for three years…).</p>

<p>Having a label hasn’t caused any significant issues for allies or for LGBTQ students that I am aware of, certainly no more than the label that one might have as a member of College Republicans/Democrats or if s/he belonged to a religious group. (In fact, I’d argue that allies are proud of what they stand for). All but two of my current professors signed the recent National Coming Out Day ad (as did I) to show support for the LGBTQ community, and several of my friends and dormmates did, as well. Plus, Miami has a non-discrimination clause. Your assumption is still unfounded and false.</p>

<p>Frankly I don’t think white and catholic is diverse, especially at Miami. It’s not an URM, which I am…and I just wanted to get in!!! But if they choose people like that I have no chance in OH because that’s all there is there!!!</p>

<p>^Try telling someone in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron, Toledo, Youngstown, Canton, Lorain/Elyria, Hamilton/Middletown, or the dozen or so 50+% minority suburbs within our state. You won’t get far.</p>

<p>Still, sorry to hear the news. You might want to look at a better school ;)</p>

<p>there is a waitlist of 400 kids and they chose me to be in the program OHKID. i think they probably have their pick of URMs. how about you stop being so ignorant and self-righteous.</p>

<p>Hmmm…</p>

<p>So I’m being ignorant for simply wishing that the program would be implemented as intended???</p>

<p>I am an URM in terms of ethnicity, which (unfortunately) seems to be the definition on this board. I am also an URM in other ways. I recognize and embrace the fact that one can contribute to diversity in other ways than physical appearance and religion, such as by meeting any one of the criteria listed in the Bridges brochure. Honestly, I find it disturbing that some posters are fixated on the idea that ethnicity/religion = cultural diversity. That’s kind of antithetical to Miami’s statement on diversity, don’t you think?</p>

<p><a href=“%5Burl=http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063415821-post24.html]#24[/url]”>quote</a> …I would hope that students who actually deserved to participate in this program would also be as disgusted and outraged as I am, since this individual could be taking away a scholarship from a deserving student who actually had cultural diversity, financial need, and a desire to attend Miami U…

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<p>Evidence has not been provided to establish that individuals that don’t meet the [program’s</a> guidelines](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063414876-post19.html]program’s”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063414876-post19.html) are being extended an invitation. Until such evidence is provided, any assertions about Miami University with regard to Bridges are misinformed.</p>