Research from an Ohio State professor has suggested that racially mixed roommate situations can be beneficial. But that doesn’t mean interracial roommates won’t create conflict – as shown by the story of First Lady Michelle Obama.

Catherine Donnelly, Michelle Obama’s first roommate at Princeton University, said that when she learned she would be rooming with an African American, she was infuriated, according to the Huffington Post. Donnelly’s mother refused to let her room with a black woman, and immediately had her daughter’s room assignment changed.

Obama refused to comment on the situation, but did say that being at Princeton made her aware of her “blackness.”

Nearly three decades later, students still have similar struggles.

“I wanted to do research on interracial attitudes. I found that mixed roommate situations are more difficult to have,” said Russell Fazio, a professor of psychology at Ohio State who researched interracial roommates.

“They tend to not get involved with one another, they don’t develop a strong relationship and usually move out during the course of one semester.”

Fazio, who has studied interracial relationships for 15 years, based his research strictly on archival data, and didn’t speak with interracial roommates to study their relationships for the research.

According to Fazio’s research, black students get better grades when they have a white roommate. The study showed that African Americans could receive a .30-increase in their grade point average if they live with a white roommate.

Megan Hicks, a sophomore sociology and criminology major, disagrees with Fazio’s research.

“Race should not have any effect on the factors of capability of getting better grades,” Hicks said.

“I think it should depend on how well you work with your roommate.”

Hicks, who is biracial, said the only issue she has had with her white roommate is their difference in personalities.

“We are both very dominant and voice our opinion,” Hicks said. “Comments she has made about my race are at times rude and I know she doesn’t know better, but that’s not an excuse.”

Brimaly Snipes, a senior strategic communications major, said she thinks the research was one-sided.

“I feel that how studious your roommate is, regardless of color, has a greater impact on determining whether an individual will receive better grades,” Snipes said. “Black students who tend to excel academically compared to those who are in school just to make the grade are going to put in a larger amount of time into their studies no matter what race their roommate belongs to.”

Fazio said that white students could also benefit from living with a black student.

When white students live with black students, Fazio said, “the attitude of white students improves, they can become more positive toward black students and there are improvements in interracial anxiety.”

Fazio said that if interracial roommates do stick it out instead of allowing their situation to dissolve, they will develop a relationship with one another that will be beneficial and lasting.

Kelli Gardner can be reached at [email protected].