The Bigger Picture
February 9th, 2025
Writer: Hailey Brandt
Editor: Liv Bennis
With full pride, I can say that I’m a nerd and it’s very important for me to have a fun fact in my back pocket. I enjoy going to class and bothering my roommates with new, random bits of knowledge I learn throughout the day. Last semester, I enrolled in a sociology class with a focus on Race, Racism, and Organizations. This course opened my eyes to the inequalities stemming from deep-rooted racism that affects all walks of our lives. Despite the increased efforts to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into professional settings, injustices, and discriminatory practices still prevail in discrete ways.
One particular lesson that stuck with me was the racial discrimination that influences the hiring process. It may seem logical that recruiting from elite universities would provide employers with the most talented and best employees for their companies. These students at Ivy League schools and other highly-reputed institutions are smart, dedicated, and have earned these elite jobs, right? Unfortunately, that is far from the whole story. In this course, we discussed how many inputs go into determining what makes a candidate successful such as previous schooling, family stability, wealth, and geography. Though students have the option to work towards and attend a “top” University, the socioeconomic state of their childhood neighborhood and public school district impacts this rate. Neighborhoods with less generational wealth are less likely to have university recruiters visit their schools and have easy access to school counselors who can best prepare them for the college admissions process. Even if students of these backgrounds apply, their stereotypically “Black-sounding” name decreases their chances of gaining admission (Gaddis). The sad reality of these overlooked “norms” is that young people of color have a reduced chance of breaking this cycle - attending these prestigious schools, and obtaining these sought-after jobs.
At a school like Michigan, we are surrounded by efforts to include DEI principles in admissions, courses, and university programming. When we leave the Ann Arbor bubble in just a few short years, we must be cognizant of the unjust elements of the hiring process and other organized systems. Being wary of the experiences of others in similar positions with varying backgrounds, experiences, and challenges will aid in the formation of a more compassionate and progressive, future.
This lesson of taking a step back and recognizing the unwritten privileges is important for maintaining and building healthy relationships. Far too often, we do not consider the challenges and tribulations that may be attributed to someone's mood, responsiveness, and attitude. We must remember to be compassionate, checking in on those we love. Taking the time to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes can help to foster strong and healthy relationships and the compassion you can share with somebody might just make their day.
Photo Credits: Libby Zufi
Work Cited
Gaddis, S. Michael. “Discrimination in the credential society: An audit study of race and college selectivity in the labor market.” Social Forces, vol. 93, no. 4, 20 Nov. 2014, pp. 1451–1479, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sou111.
