Dr. Stefanie Sevcik Interviews Her Student, Kofi Collins, about Socioeconomic Class

00:02 Hi, Kofi. Can you introduce yourself and we'll start the interview?

00:08 Okay. My name is Kofi Collins. I am actually. I don't even know how to start this. My name is Kofi Collins, and I'm going to be. We're going to be interviewing each other with questions about our. About. About my. About my opinion, about my class, my social class.

00:34 Yeah. Great. And what is your. What is your. Are you a student and what do you study?

00:41 I'm a student at Mercer University and I am studying to be an accountant. So I'm taking. What's it called? Business Administration. Business Administration.

00:55 Okay, great. And how would you describe your community or neighborhood? Where. Where you grew up or where you currently live?

01:04 My neighborhood is pretty quiet. And in a good way? Well, in a good and bad way. And I was like, you know, quiet because, like, we don't. I don't have to. Everyone keeps themselves. We don't really hear. There's no, like, not really crying, but no one's really doing anything. But also, like, there's no really communication between my neighborhoods. Like, I don't really talk to people around my neighborhood because everyone just keeps themselves. So it has its. It has its ups and downs, but I would. The benefits outweigh the negatives.

01:39 And what kind of educational opportunities were available growing up in your neighborhood?

01:46 My. It was. I had a couple. My father. Well, at first I started like, you know, just like, element in elementary and middle school like everyone else. But then mid. In the middle. Middle of my. After middle school, my dad actually gave me the opportunity to try to attend, like, a private school. And it went. I did. It went through pretty. Pretty well. Yeah.

02:15 And did you. Were you part of kind of the same neighborhood and same socioeconomic class as the rest of your classmates, or were they coming from kind of different backgrounds?

02:27 Yeah, different backgrounds. Completely different backgrounds.

02:31 In what way? What way were they different?

02:34 So some of them were. I wouldn't say rich, but they had a lot more opportunities than I did. They had, like, they had, like, better out. Better, like more. Like they had more land than we did. You know, they had more house. They had bigger houses. They had, like, you know, a lot of advantages that I just didn't. I just didn't have.

03:02 Did you grow up in a neighborhood that was kind of more urban or suburban or rural or. What kind of neighborhood were you in? And what kind of neighborhood Were. Was the school in your neighborhood or did you have to travel to it?

03:16 It was. I had to have to travel to it. It was pretty far at the Time it used to be suburban, but recently now, you know, after I went to the, the private school, it was more of a rural, rural neighborhood.

03:34 And were there like social expectations or stereotypes that you grew up with, either from the neighborhood or when you went to that private school? Like in terms of class, like, were there class expectations or stereotypes that people kind of would resort. Resort to?

03:59 Yeah, I think people didn't think I was like, people didn't really think I was that smart to be in there in that school.

04:06 Because you were coming from a different class, background, background and everything. Yeah, I grew up on a farm too. I mean, I didn't grow up with a lot of means, with a lot of resources. So I know what it's like to kind of feel like these expectations are kind of difficult to live up to and people have certain stereotypes of what it means to be like, you know, somebody who's coming from a farm, for example, or a different background. Yeah. Was your family background? Would you consider it to be, you know, economically, class wise, very high, or.

04:52 I would say somewhat like the, like low, low end of the middle class? Because my fault, my, my parents were actually like, they weren't born in this country, they were born in Trinidad.

05:06 Okay.

05:06 So they, they, they moved over to, to America and they got, they had like a little odd jobs here and there. Right now my mother is, she's still working at the post office and my father is doing like two different jobs. He's working at a. He, like, he works with DirecTV and he also like does tutoring. So he's. And that's just like, you know, provides for just himself and, and me.

05:38 So it's one of those situations of like a sort of like a family that's emigrated to the United States and the parents really try hard to be able to give the kids opportunities that maybe they didn't have.

05:51 Yes.

05:53 So that's, that's. Whoops. Sorry, Stefanie Sevcik can you ask the question in the text, please? So do you think that it was. Sorry, Stefanie Sevcik can you ask the question in the chat? Okay. She's. Anyways, do you want to start over or do you want to just keep going? You can't pause. So do you think that your parents felt like, you know, the struggle that they made was kind of worth it? I mean, was, was their whole idea to just be able to provide their kids with opportunities that they didn't have?

06:47 Yeah, it was, it was like, to provide for because they didn't have like, you know, the. They, they didn't have what I have a Lot of things that, you know, they didn't have growing up. So they had, they didn't. They all. They. They didn't have. They didn't have bikes growing up. They didn't have, you know, like, the newest consoles, the games growing up. They just had, you know, they. All they had was like, you know, Marvel marbles. And that was it. That was, that was aware of me, like, entertainment. They don't have like, you know, the newest, like iPhones or new TVs and all that kind of stuff. So they, they work to. To give me those kind of like, at least not to get. Not, not like work hard just to give me, you know, new TVs, all kinds of. But like, work to. To give me opportunities that, you know, they never had.

07:34 And did they get. Did they have very much of what, what kind of educational background did they come from? Did they. Were they educated in Trinidad or did they go to school in the States or what were they both.

07:47 I think. I don't remember too much about my mother's background, but my father, he, like, you know, he went to elementary. Middle school. He went to elementary, I think middle school in Trinidad. But then when he got to us, he started work. He started going to high school in here. And he recently got his. He got. He got a bachelor's, I think I recently have a master's recently.

08:12 So he kind of was able to have more educational opportunities being in the States, too.

08:17 Yes.

08:18 So in Trinidad. So it was his parents that like, originally moved from Trinidad to, To the States or did your dad like.

08:30 His, His. My grandmother and grandfather moved to America. To America with my dad and my uncle, my aunt.

08:39 Nice. Did they move to Georgia or did they move to some.

08:43 It was in New York. Yeah, so it was like in New York.

08:45 Oh, okay. And then, you know, did the family kind of stay in New York or they kind of go dispersed to other places or how did that work?

08:58 I think my, like, my father went to. He went to. He went to New Jersey. My. My aunt. My aunt. My. My aunt stayed in New York with my grandmother and my grandfather. And I think my uncle also stayed somewhere in New York. I think he went down to Georgia.

09:17 Nice. So they kind of dispersed and did their own things after they got to the States. And did your family. Is your family ever able to go back and visit the family that's like, left behind in Trinidad?

09:29 They do. I actually do. Like, often. I never went. I never been struggling. I don't intend to because I heard stories, but I, I don't. That's this is me one. One day my dad will force me to go, but it's not gonna be today.

09:46 So not you. You haven't been down there yet. What is it. What is it that makes you kind of reluctant to want to go back? I mean, you've never been there, right, because you were born.

09:55 I. I just heard, like, stories from my mother here and there, like, of what she would for her growing up. So, I mean, it's not really this. It's not gonna be the same for me as it was for her, because it's been like. It's been like 30, 40. It's been like 40 years since she's been there, so it could be completely different, but I just didn't want to take that chance.

10:17 Yeah, so you kind of are more of the mindset that you all are here now and this is your home and you want to try to thrive or grow like here, where it's home pretty much. And do you.

10:32 I mean, one. One day my dad will probably take me and just. Just. Did you see what it was like growing up around there? And, you know, I'll be. I. So long as that one time, I'll be okay with it, but I don't. I don't intend to, like, you know, go back there and live there or anything like that.

10:44 Does your dad still have a, like, a really big, like, emotional connection to Trinidad and, like, really like to. To go there and talk to people there?

10:54 I wouldn't think just to. To come, like, to go talk to people. I think he has. I don't think he has any, like, emotional ties to it, no.

11:04 But he still has, like, family members that are down there.

11:08 Yeah, he'll go. He'll go and see and, you know, celebrate, like, events over there with them.

11:14 What do your. What do your Trinidadian family members do? Do you know?

11:19 I haven't. I do not.

11:21 And what do your other. Do you have brothers and sisters?

11:24 I have one brother and two sisters.

11:27 And where did they. What did they end up doing? Are they older or younger than you?

11:30 All of them are older than me. I'm the youngest.

11:32 And what do they. What kind of directions did they go in their lives?

11:38 I'm. My brother went to Florida, and he currently is living with three others in Orlando. In Orlando. I don't know. He went to college, got his bachelor's degree in, I think, something digital. Digital technology, I think. I'm not sure what he's doing right now. My older sister, I think, went to Canada actually, too, and she's A like I forgot what they call. I went out. What do you call them? Flight attendants. Like the people, like the ladies.

12:11 Is she a flight attendant? So she like works for an airline?

12:14 Yeah.

12:15 Nice. Did she, did she go to college too?

12:18 She did not. My sisters didn't go to college.

12:22 So. Your sister didn't, but you and your brother or your brother finished and you're in the process of it.

12:28 Yes, in the process of it.

12:29 So that seems like, you know, probably in a way kind of what your parents had like wanted out of the whole experience, right, of bringing. Of being in the States and having opportunities for their children.

12:42 Pretty much, yeah.

12:44 That's cool. And so I mean, getting back to some of the questions on the list. What are the, what are, what are the challenges you faced kind of trying to get through school and go to the private school and go to college? I mean, what are some of the difficulties that you faced getting to where you are now?

13:03 I think for, for the private school the biggest problem was like having to like pay for like financially pay for it.

13:13 Yeah.

13:15 Yes, it was. And currently right now it was just, it was just, you know, trying to find that balance, like I mentioned like last time, just, you know, having to balance this balance school, like having to balance my job and you know, do my have like a personal life, like, you know, like how like managing all those three things combined. But that was about it.

13:42 Yeah. So it's less of a financial issue at this point. Even though Mercer is a private school.

13:48 Actually, it still is not. Not really because I have like, I had the HOPE scholarship. Oh yeah, I did. I did just get a grant that paid for like the other half.

14:02 Oh, good. So it wasn't quite as.

14:07 It was like a fraction of what I paid for my first semester.

14:13 Nice. Good. So that part hasn't really been as big of a deal.

14:21 No, it has not.

14:24 And then what other factors have been playing a role in your professional life? Like have you had to kind of rely on social connections? Like how have you kind of started figuring out like your professional life?

14:43 I don't think I don't hardly have any connections. I'm just relying, I guess on my father. On my dad?

14:50 I guess so because maybe because you didn't have a lot of like the, I don't know, like the pre formed like network here. It was hard. I mean it's. You've kind of had to forge your own path in a way.

15:06 Pretty much. I'm like, I'm relying mainly. If he, if he was gone, I would just be like On. I would be on my own.

15:13 Mm. Yeah.

15:15 I would not be. I don't think. I don't think I would be here right now.

15:19 So your dad has really been, like, a supportive person for you.

15:23 Yeah.

15:25 And has he been the one who's really been kind of helping you to figure out what you need to do to thrive and survive?

15:33 He's. Yeah, he's the one that's doing that.

15:35 Nice.

15:38 And why I'm here and not like any other college, because he's the one that recommended me to. To do, like, a private school.

15:45 Yeah. And so your dad kind of knew about Mercer already.

15:51 He did not. He actually wanted me to dress him like UGA or something like that.

15:55 Oh, really?

15:56 Yeah.

15:57 How did you. How did you become familiar with Mercer?

16:00 I. I look. I pretty much just looked it up on the website. Like, looked for colleges that were, like, nearby and then, like, compare, like, compared to which ones were, like, I want. I want to say better than, like, other ones. And you were both the closest and, you know, like, the best. The best option for me.

16:18 Yeah.

16:19 Like, you also, like. I also prefer to do class. I also prefer to take my classes, like, in person, which is where now I'm doing this online, but, you know.

16:27 Right. How have you been? Like, what have you thought of the, like, online learning experience? Because were you in a online experience? Were you in an online situation for. For high school? It was face to face.

16:43 Yeah, it was for, like, the second, like, in the middle, because, like, 10th and 11th. It was, like, solely, like, online. And 12th grade, we had the pandemic. Yeah, because of the pandemic. And then 12th grade, we had it. We had the experience going back to normal with the in person stuff.

17:04 So how do you think that impacted kind of starting college.

17:10 For, like, it all for cousin? Because I went through online because, like, the struggles of it. I didn't want to go through that because I kind of again with college, because I knew. I had a feeling that if I went through, if I did college online, I wouldn't be able to. To get, like, the education, like, the information I needed to, like, succeed in life, which it's not as bad as I think it is. It's not as bad as I thought it was, but.

17:39 Yeah, but do you think that, like, finishing high school during the pandemic, like, do you feel like, what impact do you think that had on kind of your ideas about education or about, like, being ready for college? Like, do you think that you were just as ready for college as the students who had the traditional Face to face experience?

18:01 No, I think it was the same because regardless, I knew it was like high school was just like the step was like the stepping, like the. Was just like one step towards. It was. It was like a stepping stone. Yeah, it was like the base, like once you is like this is like for high school was just like, you know, the, the baby set, like the baby stuff. Like college is like the, the real world. Like stuff that appears you for like a real world on.

18:31 Do you think that that COPA and the kind of online program that you're doing does that any differently than the traditional undergraduate experience? Like if you were at the main campus in Macon, do you think that it would be more challenging for you or kind of the same type of experience?

18:54 I feel like it would be the same kind of experience.

18:59 Like just a different location, basically.

19:02 Yeah, pretty much.

19:04 Do you miss anything about that kind of face to face experience of learning?

19:15 Well, I mean, yeah, yeah, because I. I got to actually like, you know, meet my teachers and like, instead of just like having to see them through a screen because like when I was in. When I was in while taking like my Spanish, like Spanish questions in person, like, you know, I got to have like a. I was able to like, you know, I was forced to interact with them, like four songs with them. But like when I was online, I could just, just have like have like mute myself and like, if I, if I, if I was allowed to, I could just turn off my camera and just listen. Just watch them, you know, watch them explain, watched them teach whatever they were like, whatever class I was in. Like, you know, they're just teaching like, you know, math while I just stood there and just like took notes. And by the end, by the end of like when I, when I was in college, I had like, I barely recognized like any. I had had no idea who my. In my online classes, my online teachers, I have no idea like where they what even look like now.

20:16 You mean the ones from high school?

20:18 Yeah, the ones from high school.

20:21 Did you ever. So did you get to like graduate in person, like with your other classmates or how did you.

20:29 Did you able to. Because by the end of the day we were able to like, you know, go like to the racetrack and just graduate, like do the whole graduation ceremony over there.

20:40 So what year did you actually graduate high school? Was it one of those like 20, 21 or 2022 pandemic years? It was, yeah. So there was still like, people were still social distancing and things like that. I mean, it was still kind of the pandemic. Right. Wow. So you finished out of high school, like, without being able to totally finish, you know, go back to that full face to face experience.

21:07 Yeah.

21:08 Do you think what. What impact do you think the pandemic had on kind of like, you becoming an adult and you trying to pursue your next step in life? Like, do you feel like it kind of put a wrench in anything or what do you feel like about your whole kind of generation of students that had to experience that as their senior year in high school?

21:33 I would say I got. I would. I don't know if they literally answered the question. I say I would go off easy compared to, like, everyone else. Like the people before me that graduated.

21:42 Yeah. Mean, the year before, like the 2021 people.

21:44 Yeah, no, the 2020. The 2020 people, actually, because.

21:49 Oh, yeah, because that was like the very first.

21:51 That was the very beginning.

21:52 Yeah.

21:52 Very first. They couldn't even. They didn't even get. They didn't even get a ceremony. Yeah. I was able to graduate, like, you know, in person, like, had a whole thing, like, on the racetrack. They had to, like, go online and deal with it.

22:06 You think? So for you, it was like, well, at least it wasn't that bad. Like, at least you were able to kind of get back and see everybody and have your, like, ceremony.

22:15 Yeah. Because, like, I. I was. Yeah. I was stuck indoors and everything.

22:19 Yeah.

22:19 For a while. But, like, other people had, like, a lot worse.

22:25 So you actually, I mean, maybe for your kind of year of college, high school graduates, I feel like maybe you got used to the, like, online learning and were able to kind of make it work for you in a way.

22:41 Yeah.

22:43 I mean, for better or for worse, like, you were kind of forced into it for worse. What did. Yeah. What else was, like, happening during the pandemic? I mean, was that. Did that have like a big impact on other parts of your life or was it just kind of like the school part?

23:01 It was pretty much like everything. I couldn't see my friends, I couldn't go out. I couldn't really go outside. I had to work. We had to wear masks, which I. Which at some point I actually got used to. Even, like after the whole pandemic, like, like, depending. I want to see the pandemic over. But, you know, even. Even now I'm so, like, used to wearing a mask. Like, I don't have a problem wearing it as, like, you know, other people would be.

23:20 Right.

23:22 It, like, affected me. Like, it affected, like, my entire life.

23:29 Yeah. And do you think. I mean, Getting back to, like, the social class thing and economic class, like, do you feel like any of what was going on during the pandemic, like, did it feel like things were worse because of class or. Or your social background? Or do you. Did it feel like it didn't really impact you because of the. Your social class or your, you know, where you. Where you lived?

23:57 It didn't you saying one more time. Can you say that one more time, please?

24:00 Well, do you think that. Was there anything. So I feel like some. In some places, you know, people kind of ignored the pandemic, and in some places, you know, people were safe and they didn't have to go to the hospital all the time, and a lot of people in their community didn't die. I feel like certain communities were kind of impacted a little bit differently during the pandemic. Do you feel like your community was impacted, you know, particularly strongly? Or do you. Did you feel like people kind of came together and tried to be safe? But what was. How did your community respond to the pandemic?

24:36 I can't really say for my community, because we don't. I don't. Again, I don't really, like, talk to anyone around. Around my area, but if anything was kind of. It was kind of. Even though. Like, for. Even though it impacted me like, my entire life for, like, everyone else around, it was like the ills is pretty much like nothing happened because no one was like, you know, going outside. No one was really interacting with each other. It was just. We all just stayed in our houses and just, you know, if we needed something, we would go out. But, you know, we're just like. We were just. We were just, you know, wear masks on. We just.

25:10 Did you or your family. Did anybody, you know, did very many people, you know, have an impact in terms of, like, their job and their financial stability? I mean, there were, like, certain professions that, you know, healthcare. It's like everybody in healthcare was, like, working extra. But then there were, like, the service industry people were not able to work at all because the restaurants were closed. But where did, you know, you and your family fit into that picture?

25:38 I'm not entirely sure about my arrest. My family. Like, I'm not sure what happened about my mother. I know my father was actually. Because he was working as. Because he. I think. I actually think he took up tutoring because of the pandemic, because of the entire pandemic. So I think he was. I think we were. We were. We would be fine because he. Because, you know, thankfully, how he had, like, another Job to, like, the. That would back. That would, like, you know, pay for bills and all kind of stuff. Because I know for a fact that, like, directly when he was with DirecTV, he didn't have that many jobs because.

26:13 People weren't, like, trying to get more television subscriptions or what? I mean, they were like.

26:18 I think it was more like he actually. Yeah, it was because, like, no one was, like, you know, really had any problems. If they had any problems, they weren't really, like, reaching out to. Because anyone, like, you know, anyone have to, like, risking coven from anyone coming in.

26:33 Right. Yeah. No, that's true. I feel like people kind of didn't do, you know, have plumbers and whatever come over very often because there was the fear that they might, you know, bring Covid into the house. Yeah. So what else? So just in general, like, do you think about, like, does class and social socioeconomic standing. Does it. Does it play a role, like, in your kind of everyday decision making? Or is it something that you can kind of not. Not think about that often? Like, is it something that's always kind of on your mind, or is it something that you don't really think about unless you are, you know, being asked a question about it?

27:20 Basically, I think it. Can you repeat that one more time?

27:25 Yeah. So, I mean, I feel like sometimes for people you're, like, always kind of feeling your socioeconomic background if, you know, you don't have enough money to pay the bills and you are struggling to, you know, pay for car repairs. But some people, I feel like, who are in a more privileged position, they don't have to think about that stuff that often. I mean, do you feel like you have to think about your class and your kind of economic status often? Or is it something that you can kind of just get through the day without having to think too much about?

28:02 Okay. Yeah, no, I think about it kind of. I think about that stuff a lot, actually, because I have to every. Every now and then. Like, because I have. I have bills. I have my own bills. I don't have a lot of bills to pay, but I have my own bills to pay for. Like, I have the phone bill, the, like, light bill. That's the paper I'm responsible for. I still pay for gas. Like, that kind of stuff is always on my mind. And also to take care of my own. My own. My own car. Not my own car. The car my dad gave me.

28:27 Yeah.

28:27 So, like, you know, make sure and, like, check on that, because there are problems with it, but, like, I can't really get to those problems, like right now. So I have to, like, make. I have to make sure if there's no damage on. I don't. I make sure, like, you know, check up on every week, but, you know, make sure there's no damage on it. But yeah, make sure, like, put money inside to fix, like, you know, pay for anything, not damage, like any. Like.

28:49 Yeah, it's like you don't want to risk letting anything happen to his car because you're gonna have trouble paying for it.

28:58 That makes sense because we only have like two cars. So, you know, if one gets destroyed, then, you know, I have to. I have to buy a cheese, hit the other one. And he won't have. He won't have, like, any transportation.

29:10 Yeah, yeah. And how do you. Do you see, like, your socioeconomic back class kind of shifting once you finish your degree? I mean, what kind of situation do you hope to find yourself in after you've finished up all of your coursework and find a job?

29:27 Hopefully. Hopefully it will be in a class where, like, I will be able to provide for myself. And if I wanted to set up my family so I wouldn't maybe like upper middle class, maybe like high class or like, you know, so you wouldn't.

29:42 Have to worry about, like, if the car has a problem, how am I going to pay for that bill? It'll just be something that you're able to pay for easily.

29:51 Yes, it doesn't have to be easily, but, you know, something I can. I can at least pay for.

29:55 Right, Right. Yeah. Well, you know, with any luck, hopefully that degree will help you be able to get yourself on that path. You know, with accounting, I feel like it's pretty. Pretty plausible that you'll be able to find a good job. Right?

30:14 Yeah, it should be able to.

30:16 Yeah. But anyways. All right, well, thanks for talking with me today, Kofi, and yeah. Any last words to. To say to everybody out there listening?

30:32 Nothing on top of my head other than, you know, how are you? How you guys doing? You know.

30:37 All right, well, thank you. Bye.