Umoja is a Midwestern colleges’ conference that convenes students of African, African-Caribbean and African American descent to discuss issues of the modern African Diaspora. Wintlett Taylor-Browne and the Umoja Planning Committee did an excellent job with the conference held on April 6. I spoke at the Opening Plenary. As a way of thanking Umoja, congratulating our graduates, and challenging those who will return to Luther next year, my last Synergy article will draw on the themes I shared in my speech.
Before I begin, the LDC staff wants everyone to know how proud we are of our soon-to-be graduates. Having known them for four years, we are confident that they are prepared for professional education and/or careers in their chosen fields. As we look to the future, however, the college faces unique challenges. For example, like other institutions of higher learning, Luther struggles with the question of how to provide a rigorous and culturally competent education students can afford. The increasing expenses associated with a college education and the ways that students must meet these costs; namely, by incurring major indebtedness, or by enduring punishing work schedules to pay their tuition affects them and their families.
Increasingly, the decisions that college leaders make in the face of these concerns will determine how easy or difficult it will be for students to graduate from selective enrollment institutions like Luther. In an area of austerity and fiscal conservatism, the public is beginning to ask: Is college worth any price?
It seems obvious that the future value proposition for higher education will involve preparing students for jobs or professional schools. But in an increasingly cost conscious and diverse world, the academy must be relevant to our lives and able to foster an appreciation of world cultures and their contributions to humanity. For college to be worth the expense and treasure, students need to be actively engaged in their learning. College is really about students’ meaningful quests for engaged experiences—about experiences that open them to a ‘deep dive’ into knowing. These experiences which allow us to transform each other are an integral part of a college education.
The conference theme was Common Roots, Different Paths but Umoja is not about the wacky world of being of African-descent. Umoja is not about how, when, or whether to be or act black; Umoja is not about whom you should love; it is not about how you should deal with sexual preferences; it is not about how you should represent your mixed race heritage. Umoja is not about the fact that Africa is a continent, not a country. Umoja is not about what you think of Django, Tyler Perry, Beyonce, Creflo Dollar, or Barack Obama.
Umoja is about those points of encounter where others become us and we become them. Umoja is about being open to learn about the world through the experiences of others. Umoja is about taking responsibility for your learning.
Luther was happy to sponsor Umoja because the conference is ultimately what college is about: i.e., providing opportunities for high impact experiences and points of encounter that create meaningful learning.
So those of you who are returning next year, we challenge you to take charge and seek the kind of learning in which coming together and staying connected profoundly changes us all.
