Break the stereotypes — get involved

Around the end of last school year, Women’s Wear Magazinenamed SMU the “Third Best-Dressed” university in thenation. Woo-hoo! Way to go, SMU. So let’s see … we havebuilt a reputation for being a fashion-conscious rich-kids’party school.

When I toured SMU in 1999, I was told I would be attending”the Harvard of the South.” In what way, other than ourbeautiful campus, are we like Harvard? Is anyone else confusedabout this?

I am not upset by our new fashion title per se, it is onlyupsetting to me that we lack titles of social or academic merit. Weare a private university with exorbitant tuition, so we are boundto attract students from wealthy backgrounds -— this is notgoing to change in the near future and there is no reason it shouldneed to, unless we don’t stand up to our rich-kidreputation.

Are we content being known in the community as spoiled andself-centered? I have yet to actually meet a truly self-centeredperson at SMU. I know (and I hope) my fellow Mustangs have more ontheir minds than Prada and the next crush party. The problem isthat, as a student body, we do not act as if there is more to usthan fashion, money and parties.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not greek-bashing. The greekcommunity has much to offer. Often, the non-greeks, of whom I amone, are so busy bashing the “superficiality” of greeklife that we don’t do anything to change our reputation inthe community either.

Before you get all up-in-arms, I know there are many of you thatdo care about the community and the world at large. I am one ofthose service-oriented students, and I have noticed in my yearshere that I am seeing the same faces in all of the communityorganizations.

There are several opportunities to reach out and show peoplethat we are more than “Southern MillionairesUniversity”. We are a body of students who give of ourselvesand our resources to improve the world in which we live .

One of our peer-universities, Baylor, has a very similarpopulation to SMU. They are primarily white, upper-class, Christianstudents. However, their Community Service Day draws hudreds ofparticipants while ours draws far, far fewer. I believe ourreputation has a great deal to do with that apathy.

SMU has a reputation for being rich and self-centered (leadingto a lack of pressure and feelings of apathy), while Baylor, ingeneral, does not have such a reputation or attitude.

If you step beyond the boundaries of pristine Highland Park— and I don’t mean to Uptown — you will see theneed our city has for what we can offer. Elementary schools areovercrowded; there is poverty, hunger and the need for mentors,tutors and volunteers in general. Money is important for the needsof our community to be met, but manpower is essential.

Reach out, SMU! You can do more than “Bowl for SickKids,” you can sit with sick kids and be their buddy; thehealing power of friendship is incredible.

I am a member of two community-service organizations on campus,but I am not recruiting for them; I am recruiting for thecommunity.

You can go out on your own if that suits you or feel free toplug in with one(or more of the groups here that are dedicated toserving the community. The new Community Involvement office is onthe third floor of the student center.

Head down the hallway to the left of the Multicultural office,and enter the door on the left. We need to step up to ourresponsibility as a well-off university full of energetic youngpeople. Can we do it? Will we? It’s up to you.