As a part of the Black Culture Awareness Week at MU, Dr. Darryl Scriven, co-founder
of the African American Family Enrichment Institute, came to The Gaines/Oldham
Black Culture Center to make a presentation called “State of the Black College
Student” on Wednesday night.

The presentation consisted of two parts: a video which showed students
information through statistics and a speech which served as motivation and told
students what they could do.

“We believe that students only have an academic way to see the world, but many of
them don’t finish academic learning, because emotionally, they get discouraged. They need more motivation as well as academic learning,” Scriven said.

Believing that everyone has to fight for what he or she wanted, Scriven said that what he wanted to give students is confidence.

“I think the thing I most want to give students is to go for it, even though they think
they can’t do it,” he said. “And they will be surprised that many of things they think
they can’t do, they will do. So you can do whatever you put your mind to and you will really discover that when you try.”

Senior Makida Seward found the presentation to be rewarding and instructive.

“I think the most meaningful thing I got from the presentation is that you need to
make economics on your own power,” Seward said. “Essentially, you need to know what your goal is and what you have, and make them the most in the situation that you come from.”

Black Culture Awareness Week continues Friday with the Life Music Series and
community service activities Saturday.