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Jacob Cheffo

About Jacob Cheffo

http://www.colby.edu/directory_cs/jschef23/

Posts by Jacob Cheffo:

Non-Elites in an Elite Setting

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Does a student that comes from a non-elite background but attends an elite school become elite? This question has been a prominent focus of discussion throughout the semester. As you would expect, this concept can be seen in many elite schools, and Colby is no different. It’s important to explore the differences that non-elites and elites face attending the same elite school.

There is no denying that social class plays an explicit role in how students experience Colby and other elite institutions. For example, students who come from a background of wealth do not necessarily have to balance education and economic constraints whereas students who come from lower-income backgrounds may experience Colby with that balance explicitly in mind. Students who come from lower-income backgrounds may need to work one or two jobs for a variety of reasons which undeniably takes some time away from one’s academic studies. This is just one example of how social class plays an integral role in the experience of an elite educational institution. 

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In addition, another quintessential difference is the way students value their education depending on their economic situations.  For example, some students who come from wealthy backgrounds have safety nets that allow them the comfortability to make academic and social mistakes and/or risks. This stems from a belief that financial situations will and usually do act as shields. On the other hand, students who come from lower-income situations do not have the same option of that comfortability. This is, however, not to say that there aren’t grey areas when it comes to how social class intertwines with experience. Not everyone experiences things the same way. Rather, this is to comment on how these issues do exist and they do ultimately have an integral role in how people are able to interact with elite institutions. 

Another example would be the access one has or does not have to a vehicle or a mode of transportation. Although this example may seem small compared to others, it still acts as a symbol or an illustration of how social class affects a student’s experience. For example, here at Colby, most students who come from wealthier backgrounds either have a car or have access to one. This is not to say that only wealthier students have cars, but it is more to highlight that there is a gap. This privilege allows for students to get a chance to leave campus to places like Sugarloaf, or Portland for a day or weekend trip. The freedom to travel and move can act as a time for students to reset or escape from the stress campus undeniably brings, which should be an option for everyone to indulge in.

The Troubles of Athletics in Elite Schools

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It is no surprise that athletics are closely tied with elite schooling. The role they play and the influences they hold over these institutions is hard to ignore. Because athletics are so intertwined within elite schools, sports can act as a gateway from one elite institution to another. Another factor that athletics brings into the setting of an elite school is the competitiveness between students. In many ways, athletics create an unspoken hierarchy within an elite school, which gives those students advantages that non-athletes cannot as easily obtain. Along with this, student athletes need to learn how to balance their large academic expectations and also their athletic ones. This can be seen here at Colby.

One prominent relationship between athletics and schooling I find interesting is the concept of sports being a gateway for students to move from one elite institution to another. This concept is oftentimes why sports at elite institutions perpetuate elitism because athletics are often deeply intertwined with money, class and connections. These advantages are only accessible to those attending an elite institution. Although this concept is not indicative of all students, meaning those who are on financial aid or scholarships, it’s interesting to notice how normalized it is and prevalent in education institutions. For me, up until this class and through our reading, research and discussions, I had very little knowledge of how closely tied this concept is to elite status. I attended a small high school whose primary focus was education, however a large selling point for the school was their athletic teams and facilities.

Awkward Cross Country GIF by European Athletics - Find & Share on GIPHY
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Colby, a predominately white and affluent institution, being an athlete rewards you with certain advantages that other students cannot obtain as easily. One of the most prominent examples of this is found by looking at the social aspects of being an athlete. From a student’s first day at Colby, for example, there is a noticeable divide between student athletes and students unaffiliated with sports. If you are part of a sports team (soccer, football, basketball, lacrosse, etc.), you enter college with the comfort of having an established support system whereas regular students have to seek that out. With that being said, this is not being displayed to suggest rigidity–not every athlete has the same experience–but rather to show the larger effects athletics have on the social structures within institutions such as Colby.  

The pressures that come with athletics is another important topic when discussing schooling. Although there are differences depending on what division you’re in, D1-D3, there is still a major time commitment needed in order to participate. This can severely impact a student’s ability to do well in school, especially at an academically rigorous institution, causing further effects like stress, anxiety and other detriments to one’s mental health. Being on a sports team has been compared to a full-time job because of the amount of hours necessary. How is a student-athlete expected to thrive in an environment that exists to be intensely competitive both academically and athletically? 

The Danger of Community Service Versus Civic Engagement: Where Should the Line Be Drawn?

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Although in many ways community service is extremely beneficial, unspoken and problematic issues arise with who’s doing it and for what purpose. There is no arguing that on the surface, the surrounding impression of community service is nothing but beneficial and prosperous, however, with a slightly different lens and deeper analysis, it becomes apparent that there is a dangerous line between an experience for pleasure versus an experience for one’s personal gain. What is one’s true intention behind community service, specifically someone of the elite status?

The difficulty of assessing community service lies in the multitude of reasons and motivations behind doing it. This is primarily because the word service implies offering help to someone or something which automatically creates a power dynamic. One of the many dangers with community service is offering help out of pity or charity work, which evidently leads to a power hierarchy. As I previously mentioned, on the surface, there may not seem to be anything wrong with simply offering help, however the concern is rather with the idea that community service highlights the potential personal gain or growth rather than focussing on the intended impact on the beneficiaries. In many ways, this idea is closely tied to power dynamics and charity work. Charity work, I believe to be the more extreme version of community service, is most often tied to elite individuals or institutions attempting to use money and resources in the form of charity in their local communities. That is not to say that charity itself is wrong, however the way in which elites use their visible power over another person or institution evidently leads to and reinforces a hierarchy. This is not to say that all community service is rooted in beneficial gain or automatically perpetuates power dynamics, but rather those possible outcomes have to be discussed when one chooses to do community service.

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While listening and reading interviews from a few students from Sankofa International College (pseudonym, as are all names of people associated with the school) in Ghana, one student’s perspective on community service stood out to me. His name is Thierry and his childhood is extremely intricate. Long story short, due to an incident in his family, he went from high middle or upper class to low middle class. it was therefore interesting to hear about his view and perspective on community service, due to the student experiencing multiple social classes. In the interview he is asked “The community service helped you recognize social class?” and Thierry’s response was fascinating. He said, “Eventually, I felt like a boss. They envy us like I wish I were like them. This is when you start realizing that social class exists and when you see somebody… It’s hard to understand when you’re in that situation and when you look at the differences these things exist.” Although it’s very important to recognize the difference in culture and environment, I thought his response was interesting coming from someone who would classify them as upper class at one point and middle class at the time of answering. This is not necessarily Thierry’s fault, however it can be traced back to the school who promotes this idea of what community service means and achieves.

I feel I must include that I recognize that I am writing this from a perspective of privilege and someone who has grown up surrounded by opportunities and resources that are not accessible to everyone. The reason I feel connected to this concept is because I was fortunate to have the opportunity to  travel to Costa Rica in 7th grade and then India in 11th. Those experiences have had a lasting impression on me as they introduced me to the conversation of the somewhat blurry line between the dangers and benefits of community service  The reason I say this and include this in the blog is because before traveling to these countries, my peers and I had to take a week-long class to learn the difference between a cultural immersion and community service. Although we participated in direct acts of service, such as building schools and playgrounds, I was cognitive of the risk of perpetuating hierarchies and savior complexes.  It is undeniable that we went to these places to help, however we did so in a way that tried to be aware of the spaces we were entering into; we were there to learn and to be in a relationship with the community that was founded in trust and reciprocity. With that being said, I recognize the implications, as a privileged person, of going into a ‘developing’ country with the intention to help without working to create a relationship with the community itself.  

I am not saying that any and all community service sustains power dynamics, rather that community service has to be done with intent and awareness to actively destabilize yourself from perpetuating savior complex and power dynamics. It has to be done by first creating and later sustaining a trusting and collaborative relationship with the actual community itself.  My angle of this blog is more centered around inspiring students who come from privileged backgrounds to really think about their motives and/or intentions for community service.