Watching Anthony Jack’s take on diversity in higher education definitely opened up my mind on diversity and accessibility in schools that I’d never thought about before. Going past admission, the privilege of understanding the social structure of higher education is a privilege that can be seen as invaluable. Poverty and inequality doesn’t stop once you’ve gotten into your dream school, in fact, sometimes being in such privileged schools like ivy leagues will widen the social inequality gap between students. The experience and comfort of being able to engage with faculty and teachers, utilize office hours and make those deeper connections with the school can make or break one’s career and education possibilities. I feel as if this is an an issue that has thus far not been so widely understood or accommodated for. I for one feel as if my experience in public high school made my transition to USF a bit rockier than my private school alumni counterparts. This is in part by my lacking understanding of how to utilize the advantages of better faculty accessibility. I am still personally quite uncomfortable with reaching out to my professors when I am in need of help, but can still see how much better accommodated my friends are with their choosing experience as they are comfortable with their professors and accessing the schools resources for help when needed.

Jack’s speech goes beyond racism, and actually connects to classist patterns of society as well. One aspect of this that’s actually never even occurred to me before was when he discusses spring break. I consider myself lucky to be able to access my home, a place of safety, so easily as my family lives in the surrounding Bay Area, in San Jose. I’ve never considered school shutting down for a week in the spring to be a misfortune for anyone, only an opportunity to be free. However, that opportunity is certainly a privilege that isn’t available to everyone.