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campusreview.com.au
Oxford’s ‘lack of diversity’
A student chronicles her
experiences as a black woman
studying at Oxford University.
By Loren Smith
M
alala Yousafzai’s bestie is
everything you would think she
would be: Oxford University
student, activist, vlogger.
Varaidzo Kativhu, aka Miss Varz, 20, a
Zimbabwean from Birmingham, UK, is
using her social media capital to try to
increase diversity at her top-tier university.
A former state school student with
imperfect grades, she initially gained
admission to Oxford through a pathways
program. Once she was in, however, she
became an ebulliently vocal member of
the student body.
In addition to studying classical
archaeology and ancient history,
Gen Z style, she started a YouTube
channel. Through it, she not only
chronicles her experiences as a black
woman in a historically white, male
institution, she also gives advice
to prospective students, especially
those from minority or disadvantaged
backgrounds.
Although she mixes the serious with
the silly (at one point she’ll chatter about
clubbing, a few second later she’ll detail
her stress over the amount of reading she
has to do), her social cause is evident. In a
video entitled ‘Is Oxford University Diverse?
Student Perspective’, Varz answers her own
question: “No, no, flat out no.”
“The staff are not diverse. My student
body is not diverse. The area we live in,
Oxfordshire, is not diverse. It’s just not
diverse,” she tells viewers. “Every single
lecture I walk into is filled with white faces.”
In an email, she told Campus Review
that homogeneity is a turn-off for diverse,
would-be students, and that this has serious
ramifications.
“When a young person does not see
themselves represented in a space, they
often believe it means they don’t belong in
that space.
“A lack of diversity at one of the world’s
best universities is detrimental because
this is the place where world leaders are
created, the place where many new ideas
are formed and change is initiated…
“I believe that for the world to become
a better place, we need many different
voices and ideas to be considered at the
table of change.”
Due to her optimism, Varz is motivated
by the apparent inequity. “It makes me
want to work twice as hard so that I prove
to the world that I am in fact capable and
that I rightfully deserve to occupy a space
at one of the world’s leading academic
institutions,” she wrote.
“It reminds me that I need to leave the
door open for others who come from
backgrounds like mine.”
Her thoughts on a lack of diversity
are seemingly supported by the numbers:
between 2015 and 2017, a quarter of
Oxford colleges didn’t admit any black
British students.
Yet, per its Equality Report 2016/17, it
seems the university is making progress.
For example, one if its three “equality
objectives” for 2016–2020 was to “widen
undergraduate access and admissions”.
Between 2013 and 2017, the proportion
of UK students from socioeconomically
disadvantaged areas admitted to
Oxford increased from 6.8 per cent to
10.5 per cent.
Some, however, see university diversity
as a non-issue.
“Your ‘views’ aren’t fact or true – 43% of
the students at Oxford are international
students. You said all you see is white faces
in your lectures etc. But, that doesn’t mean
it isn’t diverse. Who is to say that some of
them white faces aren’t from European
countries, or Australia, New Zealand etc.
You also don’t take into account those
who are straight, gay, male, female etc.
You only talk about skin colour, which is
why lots of companies or organizations are
labelled out to not being diverse, it’s simply
by ignorance,” LookAlolrus commented
on Varz’s video.
Varz admits her college, Lady Margaret
Hall, the traditionally ‘diverse’ one,
“celebrates difference”. Through her place
there, and her own actions in starting her
YouTube channel, she has gained fame and
even a job: consulting to Channel 4 on their
digital development.
Her initiative reflects her final message
in her diversity clip: “It is your job to make
Oxford diverse.”
That drive won’t cease after she finishes
her undergraduate studies. Perhaps inspired
by her friend Malala, as well as, obviously,
her own journey, she would like to join or
start her own education charity, focusing
on developing countries. A Harvard master’s
degree in international politics or education
studies is also on her to-do list. With
her skills, media savvy and charisma, these
goals seem achievable. ■
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