Camille Nitsch is from Orlando, Florida and is a junior at Marquette University. Camille identifies as Black and White.

Nicholas Berkel is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is a senior at Marquette University. Nick identifies as Mexican.

Interview Questions & Summary:

Q. What do the words Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean to you?

Nick: 'A range of ethnicity and inclusion is full esteem towards someones emotions and experiences. Empathy is very important.

Camille: Diversity includes having a wide range, more than one kind of person, race, and gender. Equity to me involves a variety of opportunities. Inclusion speaks to not leaving anyone out in addition to creating an environment in which people feel they are welcome.

Q. Do you believe Marquette follows through with its Jesuit values in creating a community that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive? Why or why not?

Nick: I do experience diversity, equity, and inclusion, and I feel like Marquette is opening its doors to more diverse groups, for example, there has been a larger muslim presence around campus since freshman year and more created spaces for open prayer to embrace their religion.

Camille: I have experienced diversity, equity, and inclusion at Marquette, but not because of Marquette and the spaces that they've given, but because the people I choose to surround myself with. Being a woman in engineering in addition to being the only black student in my classes has shown the ways in which Marquette doesn't foster feelings of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Q. Can you recall a time in which you felt socially or emotionally excluded?

Nick: When I was first coming to Marquette, I was frequently found posted in Marquette magazines and websites as sort of 'an idol student' in which Marquette tried to advertise as a diverse community, but it made me question why my face was purposely  put out there.

Q. Are you happy at Marquette? Why or why not?

Nick: I think for the most part this is a university to be proud of. Yes, I am happy at Marquette, but I think there is a bit of... American universities in all can lack some culture and ignorance a little bit, to not be offensive. 

Me: To our viewers who don't know, Nick spent a whole year studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. Could you further your answer and give us some more context?

Nick: There's more at hand in Spain. There wasn't the 'college life' it was more the 'life-life,' people would grab beers with their professors after class and the collectivism was so evident.

Camille: Terrible week to ask with finals. I am happy that I chose this school overall, it has made me the person that I am. It's a different environment than the south and it's a private school, and it's led me to be more versed with life.

Trevor Morris is from a suburb outside of Dallas, Texas and is a senior at Marquette University. Trevor identifies as an African-American.

Interview Questions & Summary:

Q. What do the words Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean to you?

Trevor: When I applied to graduate school, that was one of the main questions they asked. When I hear diversity, equity, and inclusion, I hear don't just accept people because of their race, but accept them for their culture. I think we often overlook the cultures that happen within ethnicities, and sometimes we don't recognize them and come off as disrespectful. The main thing about DEI is having those conversations about those cultures and educating other people on their culture in a respective conversational manner. 

Q. Do you experience this at Marquette?

Trevor: You have to go find it at Marquette, it's not as broadcasted. I didn;t get many emails about black student council or a group called 'Black and brown get down together,' and these were things that POC had to come up to me and inform me about. Since freshman year I have found myself more involved with POC that I can see in more organizations and community.

Q. Do you believe Marquette follows through with its Jesuit values in creating a community that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive? Why or why not?

Trevor: I know a lot of funding with groups stems from donations and alumni, but I was very involved with EOP which is a group that helps underrepresented groups in school and prepare them for graduate school and such. During my time in EOP, I was in Mcnair, and I saw there was a need for more to be done and support. God bless the staff, they are doing their absolute best but they are overworked and tired. Marquette should invest in them more and give them more relief, but because Marquette is a private university and relies so heavily on donations, and so Marquette needs to get behind EOP more and help under represented groups. 

Q. Can you recall an experience during your time at Marquette in which you felt included?

Trevor: I'll definitely say when I joined the curling team freshman year, there was only two people of color on the team. But what was crazy is there was still diversity amongst us on the team, and i've been on a lot of teams and I grew up in a white suburban neighborhood so I know what it feels like to not feel included but still be on a team. The curling team I felt welcomes and they encouraged me to take on an E-board position and different social gatherings that made me feel at home.  My classes were social sciences which granted are known to be more inclusive, but my professors encouraged me to challenge what they said and have these important discussions and mature argumentative conversations. 

Q. Can you recall an experience during your time at Marquette in which you felt socially or emotionally excluded?

Trevor: 100% and now this may be a shocker, but you would think that I would feel excluded from people who identify as caucasian, but I felt more of a sense of being excluded from my own community for a time. This was because--I keep bringing up the black community because we are notorious for 'you either grew up in burbs or you grew up in the city,' and wherever you grew up you're already being judged upon that. Becuase I grew up in a white suburban neighborhood, a lot of people saw me as priveledged, and I was because I was in the upper-middle class with priveleges. I wish a lot more people knew that because I grew up in that kind of neighborhood, I faced more discrimination as the only person of color, it was already like people were looking at me. At Marquette, I felt way more accepted by caucasian people, and after reaching out to some of my African-American friends, I brought this to their attention and they totally understood and saw where I was coming from... 

Q. Are you happy at Marquette? Why or why not?

Trevor: 100% and i'll tell you why. If I were to look back on college, I took advantage of the opportunity I was given. Covid happened and that was unfortunate, but I would say me getting involved with the different clubs, expanding my friend group, i'm about to go to grad school! I would say fortunate for me, I saw the opportunities Marquette gave me and I took advantage of them. 

Sean Edwards is from Hoffman Estates, Illinois and is a senior at Marquette University. Sean identifies as White and Native-American. 

Interview Questions & Summary:

Q. What do the words Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean to you?

Sean: So the words on their own, I am not opposed of. I think diversity, equity, and inclusion is good, but I don't think they are absolute goods. They cannot be fulfilled to their highest potential and still be good. When you take DEI to the extreme, it has the opposite and negative effect. For example, diversity is good and we want people with different backgrounds, but the first problem I have is the distinction between diversity of ethnicity and then the diversity of thought. How are we supposed to say that because you have a different ethnicity, than you think differently? I don't think thought is dependent on your ethnicity, and I think ones individuals personality and interests go far beyond ones upbringing. That's my problem with diversity, because of the loss of truth and values we should share as a culture. I don't like equity, I like equality. Everybody should have dignity and respect, every man is created equal in the image of God. Equity I am not for as we have natural differences, theres differences in intelligence, speaking abilities, emotional intelligence, how you get along with people. That difference causes a difference in outcomes. How i've heard it explained is equity is trying to change the outcome and equality is trying to outlaw the opportunities. I believe everyone deserves a chance, but I don't think we should level it out and take away from merit as it damages the values of intelligence and ones abilities.

Q. Are you happy at Marquette? Why or why not?

Sean: Yeah, I am absolutely happy at Marquette. I have many pockets of friends that I will continue to stay in touch with after college. I have had a great time here, my teachers have been amazing and i've built good relationships with them. Especially in the school of business, the academics at Marquette are really good. I have had a lot of opportunities to go on cool tours with my supply chain and sales clubs. Yeah, I have been very pleased with Marquette.