Berea Lost

What would happen to the college if we, as a whole, lived in a Utopian society? Would we still have classes that range from Latin to Astronomy, Physics to History, and Psychology to Swimming Class? Would there be the eccentric personalities that make up the diverse student body? Would there even be a Berea College? This blog intends to answer these questions and others of how Berea College has been and is today and how it would be in parallel universe.

The first focal point is what Berea is like today. The major problem that most people find is that freshman aren’t allowed to have vehicles on campus. This seems to be a problem because as newly adults, we want the freedom that we think we deserve because we graduated high school. Another major problem is visitation. No one of the opposite sex is allowed to be in any of the non-public areas of the residence halls. As President Shinn and other faculty have mentioned, this incoming freshman class is the most diverse since the 1950’s or 60’s. What this means is that there are many opportunities for students to broaden their minds and to learn about other people and other cultures.

In the Utopian Society, Berea would not have diversity. In fact the world itself would not be diverse. The word utopia is defined as an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects. What would this do to the average student? What would this do to the unique student? Since everyone is unique in their own way there would be no unique student, just average students all learning the same things and in the same styles.While diversity would become extinct other ideas and customs would arise that would fill that void.