Immigrant recruitment remains a work in progress

By SAMANTHA CALVIN
Ridgewater College
Hugo Gonzalez, a second-year student at Ridgewater College, moved with his family to the United States when he was 10 years-old, first living in California before coming to Minnesota three years later.

Though he must work each summer to pay for his schooling, Gonzalez is managing to make things work at a two-year college.

“Ridgewater was affordable for me,” he explained.

Yet while Latinos and other immigrants and refugees have been coming to west-central Minnesota for decades, many of them are choosing to begin working after high school rather than attending college.

At Ridgewater, Hispanic/Latino students make up just 3.1 percent of the student body, though at nearby Willmar High School they make up about one-fourth of the students. While Somalis aren’t categorized at the college, African-Americans make up just 1.9 percent of the student body.

One reason for the low numbers is the “Hollywood impression of college,” said Edel Fernandez, the director of multicultural affairs at Ridgewater and coach of the school’s club soccer team.

“Many believe that college in the United States is how it appears in movies such as American Pie,” in which students are depicted as constantly drinking alcohol and behaving irresponsibly.

Another is that “the idea of college is foreign to them,” he said. For many children growing up in the United States, it’s a given that they will finish elementary school, go to high school and then go to college.

However, in many other countries that isn’t the norm; in Latin American and Somali societies, for instance, family obligations often come before education. Many feel it is important to begin earning a living as soon as possible to help support their families. Having a steady income is an immense source of pride while going to college appears to be a waste of time.

College can also be expensive for these students, many of whom can’t receive financial aid from the government because they aren’t citizens and would have to pay out-of-state tuition.
It can also be expensive to obtain even a tourist visa for the United States, Fernandez said. “In Mexico, to get a tourist visa, you must show proof of your bank account, two pay stubs, demonstrate you own property, your birth certificate, passport, identification, medical records, and more,” he said.

He added: “First you must wait in long lines that form outside of the embassy starting at around midnight the night before. Then, when the embassy opens at 8 a.m. it costs each family member $100 to be able to even step into the embassy, and that does not guarantee you a visa. After filling out all paper work in English, each individual family member is given an interview, and then maybe you will be granted a visa, which lasts anywhere from five to 10 years.”

Furthermore, language barriers can cause some students to avoid college. Before Fernandez came to Ridgewater, there were no lower-level English classes for students who could not speak the language. Now, Ridgewater has English 90 and 91, which help students with basic reading and writing, as well as listening and speaking skills.

Ridgewater does hold events designed to help prospective students and their parents better understand what college is really about.

For Gonzalez, who is studying pre-physical therapy, coming to Ridgewater was the right choice.

“It has its challenges, but overall I like the school a lot,” he said. “Teachers are nice, and always are willing to help. It is a good atmosphere, friendly and comfortable.”

Reprinted with Permission from the Ridgewater Review. Do you have a story from your campus that would interest as state-wide audience? Submit it to Jonathan Miller.

Read interviews with two Ridgewater Students. Click below.

Two students discuss their decision to attend Ridgewater College

The Review interviewed Martin Bande, a second-year student at Ridgewater College.

RR: When did you first move to the United States?
MB: I first moved here in 2005. I was a foreign exchange student at Willmar Senior High.
RR: What made you want to attend Ridgewater College?
MB: It seemed like an easy choice after high school, and affordable.
RR: Is it easy to attend school here?
MB: It was hard at first, when I came over in 2005 I did not speak English. I use the ELL resources sometimes, but it still can be challenging to go here…especially to write papers!
RR: What are you studying at Ridgewater?
MB: I am studying business and hope to transfer to St. Thomas next year.
RR: What is a major difference between Venezuela and the United States?
MB: There are many, but one is definitely food. I ate a lot healthier in Venezuela than here. It was always salad and fish! Family is also much more important in Venezuela, and I think people are friendlier as well. A big part of our lives is dancing; you do not see a lot of that over here.

The Review interviewed Hugo Gonzalez, a second-year student at Ridgewater College.

RR: When did you first move to the United States?
HG: I moved to the United States when I was 10 years old with my family. I first lived in California and then moved to Minnesota when I was 13.
RR: Why did your family decided to move to the United States?
HG: We moved to the United States to have a better future, education, and quality of life. It is not that we wanted to come here; it is that we felt it was necessary.
RR: What made you want to attend Ridgewater College?
HG: Ridgewater was affordable for me, although I do have to work every summer to pay for my schooling.
RR: Is it easy to attend school here?
HG: Yes it is. It has its challenges, but overall I like the school a lot. Teachers are nice, and always are willing to help. It is a good atmosphere, friendly and comfortable.
RR: What are you studying at Ridgewater?
HG: I am pre-physical therapy right now.
RR: What is a major difference between Mexico and the United States?
HG: There are a few major differences. One being that my culture puts a lot more focus on family. In the United States, it seems like students graduate from high school, then go on their separate way, and rarely visit their families. I also find it strange that brothers and sisters will go to the same school, but they do not talk. In my culture, family is very important to us, and we do many things together.