1. What is your name, graduation year, degree earned at Westminster along with any other further degrees?
Name: Thulani Shabangu
Degree: Computer Science, Physics, and Mathematics
Grad Year: 2010
2. Why did you choose to attend Westminster? What made the school stand out to you?
It was a combination of things for me: The Scholarship, location, and friends! A few of my high school friends were sophomores here, and they spoke highly of Westminster. The scholarship package I received was better than the other two offers I got. Meaning, WestMo gave me 100% while UBC gave me 85% (of $60,000 per year) which in my currency is the equivalent of owing $153,000 per year. No way my dad would be able to pay that. We simply didn't have enough assets to sell or borrow to cover that EVERY YEAR! WestMo was it! I wasn't keen to go to Canada (UBC) where I heard it snowed almost all year round ... Plus It's tough saying NAH to Pat Kirby! He was just the best recruiter by far!
3. What activities, sports, and/or organizations were you involved in during your time on campus?
I played two sports: in-door Soccer and American Football (for 2 semesters)
4. Overall, how was your experience at Westminster? Do you have any specific memories you want to share? (You can include multiple stories if you want)
For me, what will forever be part of me is the friendships/connections I made during my 4 years at WestMo. Heck, I met my wife at WestMo! I think, ultimately what most students don't get in big schools is diversity and easy access to their professors.
Let's start with Academics:
Many of my professors were very awesome (except for the classes I HAD to take, I feel some type of way with those). Two, in particular, stand out: Professor Ed Mirielli (Computer Science at the time) and Professor Keith Haderman (speech class). Ed Mirielli 's most hilarious answer to ALL our questions was, "So, what do you want it to do?".
A simple question at first, but IF you can fluently answer this question on WHAT you are trying to make the program, computer, language perform, then you will ace that homework or exam or gain a THOROUGH understanding of what you are trying to accomplish!
I still use this question at work! It's a magic question!
I remember I was writing my very first software program (a battleship game).
I got a lot of Computer lab time and Ed Mirielli was always available for questions and humor. Can't imagine having this experience in a huge school.
Keith Haderman was a memorable fella. My first interaction with him was I was late by 1 minute to his class. The door was already closed and locked. I knocked and I was shamed by commentary all the way to my seat. Safe to say, I was NEVER late again to that class or ANY other class! The soft skills (public speaking) I picked in that class, set me up for success in my current career. I can speak to one person as well as give a talk to a room full of doctors/lawyers/teenagers and kids alike. A very important skill to have.
On personal life:
I remember meeting Liz (my wife) on campus. To say she didn't like me is an understatement.
Maybe it's because I didn't say hi or acknowledge her when I walked into the room she and MY friends were in. In my defense, my friends started to shout in my native language at me and we started to laugh, clap, and scream in our language. Completely ignored her and was all rude!
Two things I learned that day: One, don't be rude, speak English when someone else in the room doesn't speak your language. Especially if it's a beautiful lady! Two, Read the room! don't be uncouth! Behave, otherwise, you will spend a year paying for your mistakes!
Well, I spent a whole year trying to get in her good graces. Something worked coz we are 12 years married now!
5. In your opinion, how did Westminster set you up for success later on in life?
WestMo absolutely built a strong foundation for me: Academically and socially.
The work ethic it allowed me to cultivate, introduced me to technology and my love for sciences.
It also built a solid foundation to understand American politics, society, religion, etc.
The relationships I built there are still going strong today. Fun fact: My neighbor went to WestMo, I had no idea he lived next door until a year later and I was cutting my grass wearing my Westmo T-Shirt (SAE fraternity) and he made fun of my fraternity, turns out we beat them in the intramural soccer final one year and he was playing for the opposition. Turns out we share many friends in common. Absolutely awesome neighbors!
6. With Westminster College being a predominately white institution, were there any times when you felt outcasted or separated from your peers? Explain. Were you able to overcome this? If so, how?
So, interestingly, when you look at fraternities on campus, SAE has always been the fraternity that was most diverse, where most of the black students would pledge and the internationals. The KA house was historically the only house that was white folk and none of the African American or Asian or Hispanic or international kids would pledge. We just felt unwelcome. We couldn't relate to them because they were different from us, as a result, we didn't give them a chance or get to know them. I honestly think they felt the same about us. As such, there was always this tension. You would find birds of the same feathers flocking together. Always pockets of like-colored folks hanging together. Which was frankly not good for a small campus trying to be diverse and rich in cultures from over 50 countries.
I think what helped me get over the color differences was keeping an open mind and playing sports. Playing American football opened up my circle of friends. Gave me a chance to hang out with folks I would have never thought I would. I was able to relate to a vast number of traditionally different folks of different cultures, backgrounds, and colors.
Looking back now, I think it was mostly stereotypes, history, and misunderstanding.
If we all get over our initial visual differences, think past our mental blocking stereotypes, and see each other as people first as opposed to the preconceived image of what the other person is, society would be far better.
7. Did you ever feel like you were treated differently in the community of Fulton on account of your race?
Definitely! By blacks and whites alike! For example, when I hung out with black folks from the Fulton area, they would comment and say: You are the whitest black person I have ever met!
And when I hung out with white folks, they would say: Thulani, you are not the typical African American we are used to.
This of course would be said in jest, but of course, you get what they are saying: You don't act like us or you don't act like the normal folks that look like you. You are well-spoken, you don't use slang, you dress differently, you like different things, and you are educated and it shows. You stand out!
This made me self-conscious. Made me feel I needed to change a few things to fit in. So, I developed what you would call a chameleon character as a coping mechanism. Not so good in some cases because you gotta stay true to who you are and not change so you can fit in.
8. What is the significance of a program like the Black Alumni Mentor Program? How does a program like this benefit Black students at Westminster College?
For me, I think it gives the students an opportunity to vent, connect with like-minded individuals who have been through what they are going through, to ask ANY of the questions they have always had and didn't feel comfortable asking. An opportunity to have guides as they go through school as well as they prepare to join the real world.
An opportunity to see what else is out there BEYOND school. If I we had this program during my time at WestMo (BAMP), I would have loved it!
9. What accomplishments have you achieved since your graduation from Westminster?
My greatest achievement and accomplishment to date is being a Present Father: I honestly do not think I would be this type of father without the experiences that have defined me thus far. Without the lifetime friends I met at WestMo, without the foundation I received at WestMo. Above all, WestMo opened many doors for me to get where I am at, and will forever be grateful for that.
10. What steps would you like to see Westminster College take in the future when it comes to race and higher education?
Two things stand out for me:
One: WestMo needs more international population .... This is crucial and critical for the WestMo community. Diversity matters. Recent events in politics and the media serve as a reminder of the fact that the world needs to realize we are all the same, one global community.
Two: This is more for the Computer Science department (not sure what it is called now).
Needs to interact with more graduates of this program to help prepare the students for the real world. This will do two things:
#1. Will help students know what their degree is going to do for them when they graduate.
#2. Students will gain connections and understanding of the real-world implementation of the technology they learn in class, and translate the theory to tangible processes and applications of what they learn.
11. Any additional comments?
I'm excited to see what the BAMP program does this year and next. I am also looking forward to how WestMo will change a few things to expand and offer more programs for future students.