Spring Break
Student wins tuition, OSU wins ideas
Office of Community and Diversity essay contest drew 101 submissions
Gail Cole
Issue date: 7/1/09 Section: News
Holland grew up in Corvallis, and admitted that prior to taking Robert's class, he believing society had moved beyond discrimination found in teh past.
"This class taught me that absolutely wasn't the case," he said.
For Holland, some of the most impactful lessons of the class were presented by the student panels.
Holland said groups of students from underrepresented groups on campus - such as African American, Asian, Latino/Latina and Native American students - were each given an opportunity to talk as a panel and discuss with the class how they are treated poorly on a regular basis.
"… They were just regular students that wouldn't have been talking about this stuff if they hadn't have been invited to this panel and given the opportunity to talk about it," he said.
"It made you face the reality of how people are still treated today based on how they look."
He acknowledges that he re-examined his way of thinking, forcing him to realize issues like discrimination and prejudice continue to exist in America.
"The biggest point I came away from that class learning: I thought I knew, but I didn't know at all," Holland said.
"And that was the starting point of my essay."
Holland begins the essay with a quote from Stephen Hawking: "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge."
In the essay, he discusses that the class "destroys the illusion of knowledge" by showing students how racism and discrimination is still found in today's society.
"Yet PHL 280 is one of the 23 courses that are offered just once this year," Holland continues in the essay.
"Freeing only 50 students from the illusion is not nearly enough."
Holland recommends in the essay that OSU incorporate more ways to remove the "illusion of knowledge about diversity," such as by making PHL 280 a graduation requirement for all students.
According to Ross, Holland's ideas - and the ideas from other participants in the contest - will not soon be forgotten.
"This class taught me that absolutely wasn't the case," he said.
For Holland, some of the most impactful lessons of the class were presented by the student panels.
Holland said groups of students from underrepresented groups on campus - such as African American, Asian, Latino/Latina and Native American students - were each given an opportunity to talk as a panel and discuss with the class how they are treated poorly on a regular basis.
"… They were just regular students that wouldn't have been talking about this stuff if they hadn't have been invited to this panel and given the opportunity to talk about it," he said.
"It made you face the reality of how people are still treated today based on how they look."
He acknowledges that he re-examined his way of thinking, forcing him to realize issues like discrimination and prejudice continue to exist in America.
"The biggest point I came away from that class learning: I thought I knew, but I didn't know at all," Holland said.
"And that was the starting point of my essay."
Holland begins the essay with a quote from Stephen Hawking: "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge."
In the essay, he discusses that the class "destroys the illusion of knowledge" by showing students how racism and discrimination is still found in today's society.
"Yet PHL 280 is one of the 23 courses that are offered just once this year," Holland continues in the essay.
"Freeing only 50 students from the illusion is not nearly enough."
Holland recommends in the essay that OSU incorporate more ways to remove the "illusion of knowledge about diversity," such as by making PHL 280 a graduation requirement for all students.
According to Ross, Holland's ideas - and the ideas from other participants in the contest - will not soon be forgotten.
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