"I like St. Mike's," I think?

When you were first deciding where to spend the next four years of your life you probably watched that video in which a group of cheerful students sitting on a blanket in the quad said, “I Like St. Mike’s.” As you made your way into Alliot Hall for your first breakfast as a college student you likely saw the purple brochures that shout, “I Like St. Mike’s.” And perhaps after your roommate found out she’ll be able to host a radio show, volunteer with MOVE, and still have time to study for her Econ exam, she casually mentioned, “I Like St. Mike’s.”

There’s no doubt about it, the happy community that St. Michael’s markets proves one of the biggest lures to the college. After arriving on campus, you notice that recognizable faces occupy almost every table in Alliot. Looking to join a new club? Turns out your neighbor across the hall is its president. In your classes, professors are always willing to strike up a conversation to get to know you better. Many students “like” St. Michael’s and there’s a niche for almost everyone. But what about the others?

On February 11, Mohammed Al-Kharsan, a 25-year-old graduate student from Baghdad, Iraq, was found deceased in his Senior Hall room. Al-Kharsan was spoken highly of by his professors. He was said to be quiet, yet bright. Private, but sensitive. The community reeled, but few members could say that they knew Al-Kharsan. Did he “like St. Mike’s” — as our advertising suggests all students do? More importantly, did he feel like a member of the community?

Due to the demands of college life, it can be easy to forget that being a member of a community is not a passive role. Making a mental planner in your head, you may accidentally glare at a person passing by, or stare at your shoes. Guilty of this habit myself, I wonder, “Did I ever do this to Al-Kharsan?” I know that looking at your feet in passing does not deny the fact that St. Michael’s has a community, but what remains to be addressed is whether everyone on this campus feels included.

Perhaps Al-Kharsan did feel like a member of the community, and he liked St. Michael’s every bit as much as the smiling group in the brochure. But if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be alone in feeling that way. Last semester, we explored how some first generation students feel overlooked by their peers, because many people assume that everyone’s parents have gone to college. In this issue, we find that international students can feel a rift between themselves and the rest of the community, particularly when absent from largely celebrated holidays at home that receive little attention here. Duing MLK Week, we heard firsthand accounts from students of color who feel subtle racism from some of the largely white population, a number of whom deny that white privilege exists.

Have we been working hard enough to say that a true community exists here, at St. Michael’s? If your first instinct is to say “yes,” I invite you to ask yourself: can a true community exist if the majority of its members do not know that some international students live across Rte. 15 in Senior Hall? Or if a percentage of the population denies that white privilege exists? The “I Like St. Mike’s” mindset may be true for many of you, but why? Is it really because of the community here, or is it because you aren’t among one of the numerous members of our student body who feels distanced from others, discriminated against by peers, or differentiated from the population? We cannot take for granted the notion of a “close-knit community.” Like getting an A, scoring a goal, or creating a project, it takes hard work.

We cannot continue to passively claim the existence of our community without engaging in it. In mourning the loss of Al-Kharsan, we should not have to wonder about whether he felt included in the community, but feel confident saying that he did. St. Michael’s may be a special place for most, but by becoming active members in the community, we have the potential to make our home accepting and welcoming to all. The worst we can do is be indifferent to our commonalities and dismissive about our differences. We all have a responsibility to each other, and from the moment you step foot on campus, it is time to embrace that role.

#editorial