The Invisible Wall: Athletes vs. DM students

Media by Dustin Bankowski.

For years, the Greenville campus has had a stigma of digital media students and athletes lacking interaction on campus. Two of the most respected people in these categories, Greenville University men’s basketball standout Kameron Vinsel as well as digital media’s creative-minded Christina Hardin, attempted to break through all the barriers created over the years. 

The division between the two groups has lasted for years, but why? Both Vinsel and Hardin presented great points and solutions to suggest reasons and try to combat the issue. Vinsel stated, “As a basketball player, you get very busy coordinating your schedule. The easy route is to go to dinner with teammates and stick with the same crew. It could be an easy trap to fall into.” Avoid taking the easy road; it is essential to push yourself in order to become a better person. Both parties agreed you must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone in order to meet new people and form new relationships on campus. Hardin explains, “With Digital Media you are always with those people, doing projects together and spending hours completing stuff together.” Students tend to get comfortable with their surroundings and are afraid to step across that imaginary line drawn in the sand. Although there is a clash when approaching these issues you should be willing to see the other side. Hardin gracefully added, “Why not challenge yourself and see what they see?” It is truly vital to find that organized balance in life. Doing so allows opportunities to create exciting experiences for your character to present themselves such as being willing to make new friends and form new relationships.

In order to become a more connected community, all students need to take that uncomfortable step to break down the walls that were created before us. Greenville University promotes being uniquely made. It is essential to appreciate all the different walks of life. Having different perspectives is important to respect and retain. A trait of this caliber will make you a better employee and person in the long run. Every student on campus is special and brings something memorable to this university. A huge step is tossing out all the stereotypes and supporting both parties. Whether it may be a digital media event or a sporting event. It is important to support each other and that can be simply done by attending those events. Creating a stronger camaraderie and being together is the most important factor. The division of athlete and non-athlete stigma needs to be put to rest. Two different worlds can coexist and make Greenville University a special place. Vinsel energetically said, “It can be done! You must be willing, though.” These walls might seem lower than you think. Reach out to someone new today and create a bond. Hardin passionately expressed “It’s not as hard as you may think.” The task at hand can be completed one small conversation at a time. Reach out to new people and you could walk away with a best friend for life. Greenville University is diverse and is filled with plenty of special characters on campus.

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