I have been attending Eastern Michigan University for two years now and time and time again I have heard my school being referred to as ghetto. For reference sake, the definition of ghetto is, "a part of a city, especially a slum area, occupied by a minority group or groups." Perhaps now everyone can understand why I would be insulted that my school would be called ghetto.
Eastern is a beautiful campus, comprised of diverse students who all come together in the hopes to pursue a quality education and graduate with the tools they need to achieve the career of their dreams. Eastern is a gritty school, comprised of people who may work two or three jobs on the side in order to pay for college. Eastern is made up of students who may be coming back to school for the second time, or eighteen year old freshmen who are trying out college for the first time. Our school has the number one ranked student center in the country. We were ranked number one in the nation for teaching and education programs by the Community for Accredited Online Schools. Our football team went to the Bahama Bowl!
Still, you don't hear about these things. You hear about people getting arrested off campus, and people writing racist graffiti. Let me say this loudly and clearly: We Are Not Our Mistakes! When there is injustice, and adversity to diversity, we rise and fight against it. Eastern as a whole is a beautiful campus and a wonderful school, and if you call it ghetto and judge it without going here, then frankly perhaps it is you who does not have class.
In the end, I think everyone could learn a lot from Eastern and the students that go here. We are tough people, and we have grit! However, this does not mean that we are ghetto. Please get your adjectives right. I am education first, Tru Emu. And I go to a school that is gritty, not ghetto.
