Issue date: 11/5/04 Section: News

Cast member of MTV´s Real World MJ Garrett talks to faculty and students about issues of diversity with two other panelists at the 4th annual Texas A&M Diversity Symposium Thursday. (Photo by Whitney Martin / The Battalion)

MJ Garrett, from MTV's "The Real World" in Philadelphia, said being on "The Real World" made him understand the concept of diversity better because he wasn't exposed to it before the show and thinks that was one of the reasons he was chosen to be on the show.

"I was taken out of my comfort zone and was put in a different environment where I had to talk and cry about issues," Garrett said.

Garrett, along with Angela Wrigglesworth, Class of 1999, Miss Wheelchair Texas 2004 and an elementary school teacher, and Celia Goode-Haddock, a graduate from A&M Class of 1972 and businesswomen in Bryan-College Station, were panelists Thursday night at the 4th Annual Diversity Symposium sponsored by the Student Government Association.

The moderator for the night was Karen Watson, dean of faculties and associate provost, who said everyone brings diversity to campus and that students need to appreciate all kinds of diversity.

Goode-Haddock said the first time she was exposed to diversity was in 1965 when a black high school burned down and everyone from that school went to her all-white high school.

"There are people of different cultures, and we need to understand that they pray to a different God and celebrate different holidays," Goode-Haddock said.

Wrigglesworth said she sees diversity everyday, but that she was not exposed to it while she went to A&M.

"I filled out some applications, and I was not sure if I should put that I am in a wheelchair because they would know that I am," Wrigglesworth said. "I did put that down, but I did not receive any phone calls, although my friends did."

Garrett said he came from a small high school of 63 people with one black person. He said he never felt pressure about his race and lifestyle choices until he was on the show.

"When I walked in the door I knew I had to open myself up, and it was a natural thing for me to do, " Garrett said. "I felt like I was the minority on the show because there were three girls and two gay men ... I viewed gay men to be very feminine, but now I know that is not true. College is when you mold yourself, and luckily I learned about diverse groups through my experiences."

Junior theater arts student Stephanie Knight said A&M has a poor understanding of diversity.

"I have ... an emotional attachment (to A&M), and we need to understand that this is something we need to see as a problem for everyone because when we enter the real world, it isn't selective and we need to start here (at A&M)," Knight said.

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