UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #569
GARNER, OMAI

GARNER, Omai (1978- )
Undergraduate student; Chancellor's Scholarship Program
At UW: 1997-2001

Interviewed: August 8, 2001	
Interviewer: Barry Teicher
Length: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Childhood and education; Chancellor's Scholarship Program; Paul Barrows; Mercile Lee; Ronald McNair Program; Diversity at UW; Closing remarks.

Interview Session (August 8, 2001): Tapes 1-2

Tape 1/Side 1

00:00:29	OG grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. He talks about his parents and discusses his high school education.

00:06:16	OG discusses his college search and why he chose UW. He says he decided to go to UW after learning about the Chancellor's Scholarship Program (CSP) and was accepted into the program.

00:10:49	OG discusses his first impressions of the UW campus and of the CSP. He talks about the diversity of the people in the program and talks about the head of the program, Mercile Lee (ML).

00:14:40	The program members and their mentors met for the first time at a picnic in early September. OG describes the mentor-student relationship and talks about his mentor, Paul Barrows.

00:20:15	OG says he enjoyed biology in high school and had decided to become a medical doctor. OG describes his discouragement over grades his freshman year and talks about ML's guidance. Paul Barrows helped OG to define his interests. With PB's assistance, says OG, he earned an internship in the Ronald McNair Program, a science research internship for minorities and Ph.D. students.  

00:25:20	OG describes the Ronald McNair Program and his role in it.  

00:30:46	End of side.  

Tape 1/Side 2

00:31:32	The CSP started a tutoring program for scholars, says OG.

00:32:37	OG ended up majoring in genetics and bacteriology. He describes his most memorable moment in a genetics class of forty students.  

00:33:54	The CSP included social gatherings for participating scholars, which OG describes. At these meetings, OG felt a connection to the university and the administration.  

00:36:51	OG talks about the lack of diversity at UW and how minority students react to this.  

00:38:55	OG tells of his experience with hate speech at UW and how he has dealt with it.  

00:40:16	OG explains how he feels about the slow process of bringing greater diversity to the campus. He commends Chancellor John Wiley on his role in raising the number of minority students at UW.  

00:43:38	OG talks about the multicultural center in the Red Gym. He often studied there and eventually became more involved in activities at the Center.

00:47:35	CSP holds a reception every year, which OG discusses.  

00:50:19	OG describes his extra-curricular experiences in the CSP, such as attending plays in Chicago and involvement in community service projects once a year. He talks about working with children through the University Pals project.

00:58:33	OG discusses ML and the influence she has had on his life. She cares for each of her students personally and academically.

01:01:26	End of side.  End of tape.

Tape 2/Side 1

01:01:34	OG discusses ML and how she has been like a mother to him. He says that she has had a large role in his university career. 

01:10:34	The other people who helped in OG's life at the university are the donors of the grants given to him. He met with donors periodically.

01:14:01	OG discusses the future of the program after ML. He sees a former chancellor's scholar stepping up to fill ML's position upon her retirement.  

01:16:17	OG thinks that ML is the greatest asset of the program, along with the other scholars and support for the program by the university.

01:18:43	OG offers a few suggestions to strengthen the program: additional help for ML and increased number of donors. The program does not need much improvement in his eyes.  

01:20:33	OG has spent his summers conducting scientific research, and he discusses the other jobs he has held. He values the experience gained from working with young children and would like to continue such involvement.  

01:23:33	OG is going to the University of California, San Diego for graduate school in the biomedical science field. He will keep in touch with ML in the future.  

01:30:49	End of side.  End of tape.  

END