Adversity in the classroom is no stranger to the average college student. But, for students Shakila Shah, Glenelys Jimenez and Lloyd Colona, such obstacles seem to exceed the required reading.

Each holds a leadership role in a campus organization where obstacles are constantly thrown their way.

Toby Jenkins, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, said it's a leader's "true sense of responsibility to their community" that sets them apart. "It's their sense of culture that drives them."

Going the extra mile

For Shah (senior-biobehavioral health), Muslim Student Association (MSA) vice president, defying the stereotype is most taxing.

"Because Islam is so in the media ... we do go to extra lengths," Shah said of MSA, which tries to eliminate societal distortions.

Shah said MSA, and the religion it represents, is constantly ostracized and "misunderstood" in today's society, prompting the organization's aim to decrease "discrimination through education."

Shah recalled such a hurdle arising this semester during Islamo-Facism Awareness Week when former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum came to speak, which she called "an attack on all Muslims."

Shah knew responding inappropriately would cause even greater controversy.

"You can't treat violence with violence," she said. "We want to decrease that misunderstanding and hopefully eradicate it."

And so they did.

The following week, MSA hosted Pride not Prejudice Week, which offered a slew of events focusing on raised awareness about Muslims.

Despite the hardship, and sometimes having to go the extra mile, Shah said the results are worth it.

"It does make me stronger as a person, but it makes us stronger as an organization, too," she said.

Strength in numbers

Latino Caucus President Glenelys Jimenez (senior-political science) said she believes the only way for her organization to succeed is for the members to work collectively.

"My goal is to be more inclusive," she said. "I have big goals and aspirations for this organization."

But with big aspirations come grave responsibilities.

Latino Caucus acts as an umbrella organization, representing Latino minority groups on campus.

"We're trying to work more together. In the past, it wasn't like that," she said. "My biggest struggle is bringing back that balance."

Jimenez said collective balance is key for success, especially with such a big group.

"We all have different resources within each other," she said. "The unity creates an atmosphere for our issues to be addressed."

Next semester, Jimenez said, Latino Caucus plans to focus more on programs and events that are geared toward culturally enhancing Penn State.

With the support of her peers, she said, no goal is unreachable.

Pay it forward

For Lloyd Colona (senior-crime, law and justice), president of Penn State's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, his "innate desire to succeed and overcome" keeps him going.

This year, financial struggles plagued many of his members.

Several of the students, he said, were unable to pay their semester bills because they were either denied a loan or didn't have sufficient financial backing.

"It was heart-wrenching for me," he said, especially because many of the students expressed a want to continue their education.

Colona, who said he believes there is a correlation between retention of students of color and financial aid, began to search for a solution.

"Students are met with the decision to either pay their rent or pay their tuition," he said.

Penn State, Colona said, should have a greater administrative involvement.

"There should be more of a mass campaign," Colona said. "Kind of like a 'No Child Left Behind' at Penn State. There needs to be a larger financial backing of holistic diversity and insuring its future."

Colona recalled students coming to him after visiting the financial aid office.

"Students aren't encouraged to finish their education," he said. "I'm not saying Penn State isn't doing anything; there just needs to be greater efforts to make this a truly supportive network, especially for people of low socioeconomic status."

Colona, who is working to raise awareness about financial disparities for students of color, said he does this for one reason: in hopes that every student he helps will do the same for somebody else.

He thinks of it as his "each one, reach one" mentality.