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  • Rasmussen College librarian Lisa Spieker, flanked by students Fardousa Jama (left) and Iris Clark, has been instrumental in the Mankato school’s diversity initiatives. John Cross

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March 21, 2010

Rasmussen aims for diversity

Says its small size is an asset

By Brian Ojanpa Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Diversity has become a watchword in higher education, and Rasmussen College in Mankato is demonstrating that even an 800-student school with a 10 percent minority enrollment can be cutting edge in cultural integrations.

“And it’s needed,” said Director of Student Services Dean Fredericks. “If you look at all the diversity in Mankato, we’re trying to copy that, but we have a ways to go.”

That said, the school’s faculty and staff diversity committee is off to a good start. In fact, college librarian Lisa Spieker was cited for her diversity education efforts when the Mankato Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Board presented her with one of its annual Pathfinder awards earlier this year.

Spieker was cited for her untiring devotion to educating the campus through displays, speaker panels and open discussions based on books and movies such as “Lost Boys of Sudan,” a tale of Sudanese youth trying to assimilate into a new culture.

Spieker said that whenever she hosts an open discussion involving minority students, job one is putting them in a comfort zone that allows them to speak freely.

When that is achieved, true education occurs, Spieker said, citing an instance whereby an African woman opened up to the group with some eye-opening revelations.

Among them: Newly arrived African men are given to standing on American toilets simply because of their unfamiliarity with them.

Spieker said an ongoing challenge of the Rasmussen diversity committee is attracting student groups to participate.

Toward that end, the committee slates activities, including bake sales to benefit diverse populations and a Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest addressing the topics of how people of differing races are alike and how to apply that in daily life.

Spieker said Rasmussen staff also held an event that looked inwardly on cultural differences.

“We had a potluck with staff to prove we’re all different, even by our white ethnic heritage,” Spieker said. “You think Mankato is just German and Norwegian.”

Not so, she said, as evidenced by the variety of ethnic dishes shared by Caucasian staff.

Fredericks said Rasmussen also is looking to diversify its faculty.

“In the last two or three years we’ve said, ‘Hey, we’ve got to really get serious about this,’” he said.

In cultural diversity matters, Spieker said Rasmussen’s small size tends to work in its favor.

“We pride ourselves on being able to be one-on-one with students,” she said. “If a student is struggling, I’ll go out of my way to work with them. We’ll all go that extra mile for our students.”

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