This episode explores the intricate dynamics of community at Lansing Community College, revealing both the challenges and opportunities that shape the student experience. Guests, Ty Nash and Erick Diaz, engage in a thoughtful discourse and provide their unique perspectives on the sense of belonging within the campus environment. The discussion includes their insights on fostering a cohesive community among various cultural and ethnic groups, as well as, the importance of academic advisors and how such support can alleviate the burdens associated with pursuing higher education.

Website: Social Science and Humanities Department at LCC

It and start gaining perspective. Hi there. I'm Aliza Robison. I teach at LCC Sociology and anthropology classes.

We're here today to try out having a discussion about social cultural issues that are interesting to the people here on the LCC campus and how it affects our community is going to be one of the main topics. I've got two former students here with us today and they're going to introduce themselves.

Hi, I am Ty Nash. I am a former student and actually kind of fell in love with the sociology aspect here on campus.

Didn't really have a direction of what I wanted to do with this, but every class I've seen to be taken is walking me into a brighter type of future that I do want to explore in sociology. I am excited to do the podcast and see from different perspectives and get a better understanding of the whole college life.

Hi, my name is Erick Diaz. I'm a journalist student.

I am a second year and I think besides the journalist classes, most of the extra classes I have have been from sociology and anthropology. So this podcast is quite very interesting for me.

Thank you guys for being here. I'm going to start with a broader question and then we'll go into some deeper ones. When did you start at LCC and what brought you here?

I began LCC three months after I came to the United States. I'm not American. I'm from Peru, and my first year here, my uncle, the one who made the papers for us, were like, you have to learn English.

Because me, my sister and I didn't even speak English at the first time here. So we had to enroll at LCC for the esol, I think it was at that time. I'm not sure if there is still that program anymore.

I don't know, something like that. Maybe a different name.

But I remember we used to be a lot of people from different countries, especially refugees from Afghanistan, Sudan. And it was very interesting because no one of us used to speak English. We were just playing and trying to meet our different cultures.

Okay. Ty, what about you?

Well, mine is a little different journey. You know, to be brutally honest, I'm older than most students that are here. I'm 43.

I came from Detroit out to Lansing because in a way of, like, trying to fix my life in order, you know, like in a recovery program. And that brought me to, you know, trying to explore what I wanted to do in life and understand, like, myself fully of what I'm capable of.

And after the recovery program, I just said I wanted to enroll in school, and then I started finding other things that I was interested in and finding myself in all of it and understanding how to help people in which direction I wanted to follow a career in, reconnect with it, a whole different demographic and understand, like, the society and sociology of, like, the connection with people, being able to empathize and sympathize in the right way, to give right directions towards, you know, life in general, you know?

Yeah. Nice. Thanks for sharing that, guys.

So one of the things we want to do with this podcast is to help connect with people at LCC and the LCC community and maybe give perspectives that people haven't heard before. One of the things we wanted to talk about was community, the sense of community on LCC's campus. What do you guys feel about that?

Do you feel like there's a strong sense of community? What is your idea of the sense of community first? And then do you feel like LCC has that?

I will say no.

Okay.

But I. That maybe that's my perspective. And, you know, we all have different perspective.

And since I'm not from here, sometimes it takes me some time to understand the. How the society or the young groups work here. That's what I would say, maybe.

No.

Because I realized there are so many groups based on either culture of ethnicity, like Latinos, like Asians, or a bunch of group from immigrants, or just white people or just African Americans. It's like, okay, who should I join? I don't know. It depends. It always depends.

Because some friends I have that are from different countries, they get easily accepted to different groups. So I don't know what is the pattern. But if I have to say as a whole, a community as lcc, I said no.

I don't.

I don't see there is like a.

Because there's a lot of division.

There's division. And many students I see, they just see LCC as a path, as a transition, like.

Like a stepping stone to something else.

Yeah, they're gonna transfer to somewhere else, and that's We. That will be the main. The main community they're going to join. But LCC is just. Everyone just take the classes and leave and.

Yeah, I understand.

Yeah.

I mean, for me, it's a little.

It's a little different, but I believe that's just because, like, as far as in life, I'm a little more cultured, you know, coming from an urban area and then moving to, like, the suburbs. So it was like I was the. The alien, you know, like the one. One black guy with, you know, everybody else the, you know, speck of pepper and salt.

But it's like.

Like growing up, you know, it was, like, hard at first, but then, like, it kind of, like, blossomed me and I mean, I won Social Butterfly, you know, in the mock collection, and I got along with everybody, and so it's like, easier for me to open up, to just start a conversation. That's just part of my personality since third grade and on. So, you know, I carry that as a. Like a way that I use in life.

You know, I take people as they are, you know, because it's easy to divide. But it's.

It's like if you continue to have a separation in your mind, that that's okay or you don't step out of your element, you'll continue that through the whole journey of no matter where you're at, whether you're in school, whether you're at work. It's even weird for me as well, because, like, people that are from. That are actually African. African. I'm like, I can't understand you.

And I'm black too, you know, so it's always going to be some type of barrier or whatever that you can see.

But I mean, underlying the surface, like, everybody probably feels the same type of way, in one way, shape or form of being, like, alienated or closed off. But it just, you know, takes a simple. Like opening somebody's door and, you know, they're saying thank you to you.

Starting a conversation, being open to conversation helps that a whole lot for me. I mean, it's just like I talk to random people in the cafeteria when I'm doing homework. They're like, hey, what's going on?

What are you listening to, too? Because I'm always jamming. It's just a way of just opening conversation and that builds bridges, you know, that you can use in different ways.

Like, you know, me and you here in class, we just like, hey, what's up? But now we're here doing something that nobody else in class is doing. So we're starting our own path.

And now we're gonna go out and see what other people think about it, you know.

So, you know, it's just a way of like, you know, breaking that barrier in your own mind and then just accepting people as they are and, and you know, try to be open and like, understanding you're gonna come in here in a certain way, but you're gonna leave in a better way if you just try a little.

Do you think there's support for students of different backgrounds? And you, you felt, you're. Sounds like you're saying you felt that support.

Yeah, it's definitely like I've seen like this podcast. I didn't even know this was over here.

It's like parts of this, these buildings that I haven't even explored yet that I'm like, oh, wow, there's this here, there's that there. It's like something for everyone, you know.

And, you know, you might find people that are just clicked up in their classes because that's generally what they're going to, you know, migrate towards. Because these people talk in class with me.

But I mean, when they do extracurricular stuff like this and have different clubs and I would have never known this type of thing could be done here. So it's like, you know, just broaden your horizons as a person will eventually have you cross paths with different people.

And it feels good to me, but it's. I'm already at a stage where I'm blossomed, open and accepting everything that's coming to me, you know, like.

But I mean, it comes, I guess, with age. Go figure.

Well, I think you're here. I would say Erick's pretty outgoing too, like getting involved in lots of different stuff. But you see it from a different way perspective.

Because it sounds like you're saying there is a lot of openness, but you're saying, well, I'm getting out there, but there's still not a lot of connectivity between.

Yeah, there might be some outside. I've seen there are clubs, there are coaches, advisors. I mean, I'll say, yes, there are support, there's support. I can find support.

But I would say it can be more spreaded trying to reach more students outside. Because if you don't tell me about the club, I wouldn't know it. I never heard about the anthropology club unless until Alizabeth told us.

Also, I didn't know there was LCC radio. I didn't know. I didn't know there was this podcast or the newspaper. There is a newspaper. I didn't Know, until I just tried to reach it.

But on the other hand, if we see at msu, I don't know. I'm not part of msu, but I live closer. But you can see some.

Sometimes you can see based it on the stuff, but something there will be going on or some friends just sharing.

Yeah, it's more around the community that you can see and it's. It's readily available. Like, oh, here they're doing this, they're doing that.

Yeah. But I like for like talking about lcc, I like to be more constant. Consistent. Consistent about events like the clubs. Like, I don't know if there is.

I mean, at msu, there is like an event where all the clubs got it and they send up an event for the student. They go and reach students associations, clubs. But I don't know if it happens here at lcc. Like an event where all the clubs. All the student clubs.

There used to be stuff like that. But I wonder too, like what you guys said before.

I think a lot of people aren't expecting that and then aren't looking for it because they're already kind of in a stepping. This is a stepping stone for them. And it's almost like they don't expect that to be there.

Right, Right.

Not that we couldn't create more of it. I think we could.

Because I was even looking for. I know there is a Spanish club because I misspink my language in Spanish, but I've never heard of if they are still alive or not.

I've seen their Facebook, but the last post was like three years ago. And yeah, that's shame on me. I didn't text them. But, you know.

See, that was you. You had to. You forgot. You're like, oh, wait, wait a minute. Yeah, you got to keep that connection.

Yeah, that's also too.

You do need committed people. That's another thing. Like, if you're thinking of this as a stepping stone, then you're not going to be necessarily committed to a group. Yeah.

Sometimes you need like something like a push. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

See, I would. I would have. Kid, I would have kicked you in the social sector. Like, look, man, you are coming today. Like, you know what I mean?

That's why I made it a point to when I seen you to say something to make sure you were still coming. It was like, otherwise I'm going to be in here by myself. I'm like, well, it's going to be the Tyrell show, so get prepared.

So it sounds like you said there's support for students with different backgrounds. If you want to go out, it's there for you to find it.

Yeah.

And you said there was two, right? Okay.

Oh, yeah, definitely. Definitely.

Let's broach the subject of financial challenges. How does that impact college experience from your perspective inside and outside of the classroom?

Well, in my case, I mean, just understanding about they had the Pell Grant, they have the Michigan Reconnect. So it's like a lot of people in the situations that I was going through, you know, that's been to school and then like, okay.

And it's like years later, it's like you still have a chance to do these type of things, like, and you still have like, something that, like, oh, wow. They're actually still looking out for people my age. You know what I mean?

Not just, you know, younger crowd or anything like that, but I mean, that's like, gives. Gives people a sense of hope in the. In the fact that you can still, like, follow your dream.

They're still looking at that part of society and not just forgotten.

So it's like, you know, having all those programs and also, like, skilled trades programs where you can get certificates for welding or anything like that, you know, it's very, like, inspiring that we're still looked at on a level like that to even be able to have a stepping stone like this.

I think of everything as a stepping stone because you're going to get somewhere and then you're going to basically elevate into the ceiling of that, and then you approach another level in order to keep advancing in life. Because, I mean, it's a race without a finish line. You know what I mean?

When you look at everything in an optimistic way, and I believe that the financial part was just like the biggest burden that would immediately turn somebody off. Like, I can't afford this. You know, I didn't know anything about what LCC had to offer.

I just was taking classes, you know, and then next thing you know, I talked to the academic advisor is who I talked to after I took your class. And like, I didn't know which direction to go. And it was just like, okay, I'm just going to take more sociology classes.

And she's like, no, that's the wrong thing to do. You want to do this. You only had.

I only had like 15 minutes with her, but she made 14 minutes and 59 seconds worthwhile to understand, like, that I'm able to transfer to something bigger and it would narrow the field down.

And, like, it was way easier for me to understand to like, okay, well, I'm taking these classes to transfer to here, then that's going to take my perspectives of what I want to do in a career to this and then this is the next level. So it was a lot easier to understand.

So it's like, like with the financial advisor and with the academic advisor, it's like I feel like those are so necessary because it will take a lot of the doubt out of your mind about and the weight off your shoulders as far as like financial wise and understanding what you to do and actually have a path to move forward on instead of just walking in the dark and taking classes and wasting money.

So it sounds like there, there are a lot of financial support options and it was relatively easy for you to get access to that.

Oh yeah, Star Zone, man. I forget the guy's name in Starzone, but I seen him probably about eight times in one month. Like, what do I need this?

Okay.

He walked me through everything and it was like, like he knew me by name. Like by the third time. Like, okay, so what do we have today? You know, but still with a smile and knows exactly what he need.

Okay, let me look up this. We'll call them, we'll figure this out. Get your password for the. Like, it was like, okay, cool. All right.

And it was, it was just flawless, like and how, you know, like not where it was intimidating that it was so much, you know, it was, everything was just like a flawless run for me. So it was like, I hope it's like that for everybody.

But I feel that way because he's like generally like all the people up there were generally in a great mood to see people and it's like very, very inviting instead of being intimidating.

That's great to hear. Well, what about you, Erick? What would you say about that? Has that been a challenge at all for you?

Do you think that would that impacts anything about your education experience here or if maybe not you. Have you seen it impact other people?

I don't know if I have a lot to say about it, but right now I'm using the Michigan Reconnect, which I think is very, very good.

I just was that accessible. It was easy to set.

It was very easy. It was very accessible.

I was surprised like, because I did it just two, two or one week before we had our class, the first classes, because I wasn't expecting to take classes as a mess. I was like, should I, shouldn't I? It was too late. It was really late to get enrolled for classes.

And my advisor said, yes, you can just, just do it right now. And just a couple days after that, it was already enrolled, it was paid.

And the academic advisor.

Yeah. And I was like, what?

Yeah, I was like, the day before, I was like, oh, man, forget it. And then I just happened to come up here. 15 minutes, boom. I got classes. They knew the codes. Like, hold on, this is an emergency class. Just open up.

Boom.

Like, okay, I guess I'm gonna.

Yeah, I wasn't expecting. When I told my parents, I guess I'm back to college, they were like, okay, nice. But when I was my first time here, yeah, I was using the fafsa.

I think they were very accessible that time for many immigrants.

Okay.

I did my English with that and then my photography associate degree. I didn't finish that degree, but that's another story. But it was for the, the amount of credits.

I mean the English credits and the photography credit, they combined. So I couldn't have, I couldn't finish it at all for. That's another thing. But yeah, it was pretty nice for people, I think.

Sounds like. And both of you had a really good experience. Experience with academic advisors.

Yeah. Because of the. I couldn't get access to the fafsa. I was like, okay, I guess that's it.

I have to borrow some money or get some loans to do that journalist degree. But yeah, my boss would tell me, you know, you can apply for the gyncan reconnect.

Okay, I'll do it. That's great. And both of you correct me if I'm wrong. Want to transfer to a four year school?

Yeah, I want to transfer. And that's what I'm worried right now because, you know, these grand colleges are pretty expensive. So.

Yeah, just trying to figure out what to do next.

Okay.

Yeah, I didn't, I didn't have no plan to transfer anything. I thought this was just like, okay, you just write all of your, your classes out here.

I didn't realize until talking to the academic advisor, you know, like she went on to the website. I'm like, I didn't even know this was here where you showed. Okay, you can put it in here and do like your future planning.

And it showed you what, what classes I already had and what classes I need to do this, this and that. And she's like, oh, yeah. And then you want to go for this. Okay, this is your stepping stone.

And what you're going to do is do the transfer to like transfer aa this. I'm like, okay. She's like, but that has a broad career where. Okay, it can be from all of this to all of that once you get to your four year college.

Okay. You got. I'm like, oh, well, it's like kind of like a map. And I'm like, map straight to what I want to do. And I'm like, okay.

She made it like so easy where it was just like a clear cut plan of what I wanted to do it because my brain was scattered like, you know, like I'm like OCD and ADHD where it's like, I'm like, okay, everything's gonna work out somehow. But it was aligned like perfectly. So I mean, yeah, it's definitely, is definitely like in line as far as going to a four year degree.

And it's just depending on where now so. And what I guess I would be investigating or like analyzing what schools will be the best suit for the field that I want to go in.

So.

All right, sounds like the academic advisors are really helpful with that as well. So let's talk about inside the classroom.

Were there any challenges regarding like your ability to start in a college classroom and the kind of work you were expected to do? Connecting with the teacher, using D2L, anything like. Like that. And you can talk about my class too.

Oh man, we're not going to talk about. No. I mean I would not recommend. For me, just for me personally, it was like, I don't like, I couldn't take certain classes online.

It was like it was so easy to dismiss the work. My time management was off because I was in class for some. And then like, oh my God, what am I even doing? English. I'm like, I have.

It's been three weeks, I haven't even looked at it, you know, so you have to be prepared to like do it online, you know, I mean some people it's easier to just, oh, give me all my work and it's done. But it's like really, I feel like you miss a lot of the substance in class. Like our class was fun.

That's why it's like it resonated with me, with my personality and like it was broken down where it was like so easy to understand and relatable to everything that we do in the world. And like, you know, and I try to do that in every class that I go in. Like, and to understand things thoroughly from a ground level.

And once you build that basis, it's basically building those stepping stones. So. So it's like that's part of how I love to learn and be visual and like, you know, like that. So I mean, I love the in Class experience.

And, I mean, I feel like that everybody that's in the class are all, like, you know, timid at first, but if you have a great atmosphere, a great, you know, instructor that understands that fully and loves to teach, that comes off across the class where it. It's not such, you know, like, oh, I got to go to this class. Like, oh, man, you know, I wonder what we're gonna, you know, do today.

You know, what are we gonna be laughing about? Where would this take the conversation? Staying after class for five minutes, and we're talking about this, you know, like, you'll enjoy doing the.

The work that you're doing while you're learning something. So, you know, I think. I think the experience was great.

Good to hear.

Mine was great.

I did college also in my country, and the contrast is very, very huge, because sometimes something I. I can talk with other immigrants that are studying or either MSU or here's like, yeah, here is better. Like, the education. It's not that.

It's not that that the education is better or bad, but how the relationship between the teacher and the students is a lot better. A lot better. Because if I can tell from the public college I was in my country, the.

How would I say, the respect that the students have to the teacher is very like a hierarchy. Like, what the teacher says is like the law. If you are late, you are not in the class. If you leave the class during the class, you. You're out.

You know how you don't come. You don't. You don't have to come anymore. I don't know if that was because I do.

I was doing engineering major back there, and most of my teacher were like these stereotypical old men, and they were very tough and strict and I don't know. But something that we agree is like, yeah, here the relationship is a lot. A lot better. The. The teachers are very flexible. They help you.

There are no boundaries or barriers of that kind. And there are a lot more resources to help students not to fall. So I think that's great. Okay.

We'Ve got a wrap up here. So I learned a lot. It's really interesting. Any last words, last thoughts on what LCC has. Has brought for your life?

I think after Covid and there were many online classes, I think LCC should return to have more sense of community than it used to be. I remember. Used to be more.

I remember that.

More a community, but now it's. I think it will take time. Right. Because it's been, like, four years, so.

Mm.

Yeah.

You're right. I. I remember that. Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, I don't know.

I guess, you know, it's kind of brought a sense of purpose in my life as far as, like, you know what I understand that I do want to do, you know, and I just am excited for, you know, every semester and, and building and growing as a person. So. Lcc. Yeah. You know, got me together in all the right ways. Ty, signing out.