Empirical studies have shown that socializing and interacting with those of a different race has a positive personal and academic influence on students. Benefits include improve academic development, increased cultural awareness, satisfaction with the college experience and desire to promote racial acceptance. Of course, diversity doesn’t just have to refer to different races, but other groups, lifestyles and cultures as well.
The State of Diversity on College Campuses: a Snapshot
20% of Hispanic adults have a postsecondary degree, compared with 36% of all adults.
33% of LGBTQ students have “seriously considered” leaving college due to issues surrounding their sexual orientation, including harassment.
In 2013, 77% of adults who came from families in the top 25% in income got a bachelor’s degree by the time they turned 24. However, only 9% earned their bachelor’s degree by the time they turned 24 if they were from the “lowest income bracket.”
Sources: Columbia Social Work Review, Excelencia in Education, Wall Street Journal
Top Online Programs
Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.
Learn More
Visit Site
Learn More
Visit Site
Learn More
Visit Site
What is Multicultural and Diverse? What is “Inclusive?”
“Multicultural” is defined as relating to or made up of several cultural or ethnic groups within a society. “Diverse” means to show a great deal of variety. Being poised to embrace that variety, various cultures, different beliefs and attitudes, and so much more is a sign of a truly “inclusive” school.
On every college campus, there is someone who fits the definition of diverse or multicultural. From women to minorities, from those who identify as gay or lesbian to those who are disabled, the differences in our culture is what makes us so unique and interesting. An inclusive school is a place that embraces all and finds ways to celebrate differences in the classroom, on the campus, and in the greater community.
Here are just a few of the populations that might benefit from the welcoming atmosphere of an inclusive college or university.
Scholarships for Minority College Students
Those of minority races have often faced issues on college campuses and beyond, including discrimination. Many come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Just getting into college has been difficult for certain minority groups, but once there, they can take advantage of higher education and contribute their unique ideas and cultures that have often been left out of the college scene. Learn about financial aid for minority students Learn more
Higher Education for Students with Disabilities
Those who are disabled face unique challenges that are often overlooked or simply misunderstood by their peers, as well as by faculty and staff. Understanding the limitations and providing ways for the disabled student to be fully included in the college experience is a worthy challenge for schools to tackle. Learn more
LGBTQ+ Student Resources & Support
LGBTQ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and those who are questioning their sexual identity. Negative societal and cultural attitudes about these groups has led to higher rates of depression, bullying and physical violence. A positive and supportive environment can assist learning for those who identify as LGBTQ by reducing the level of “minority stress” experienced. For more information about how to make a better learning environment for LGBTQ students, check out our LGBTQ Students Support Guide Learn more
How to Drop or Withdraw From a Class
Those who have hearing impairments might need special accommodations in order to succeed in school. Students with hearing issues will appreciate a school that eagerly provides the necessary accommodations and educates its faculty, staff and student body to their necessity and ensures that those who are hearing impaired can be treated like anyone else. For information on resources, technology and tools to assist those with hearing impairment while in school, check out our Supporting Students with Hearing Impairments Guide Learn more
Finding the Best Fit: Searching for an Inclusive and Diverse School
Determining which colleges and universities are truly inclusive can be tough. Every school wants to project an air of openness, and it can be very easy to talk the talk. Which colleges actually walk the walk? Search for these key points to help narrow down the schools that are truly inclusive and open to everyone.
Multicultural & Diverse High School Students: Preparing Ahead
What happens when someone winds up in a school where they feel they don’t belong, or where they might have a tough time fitting in? Often they choose to leave. That is reflected by the college freshman dropout rates. Here are a few facts about those rates and other key points:
Only 59% of students who begin a 4 year college degree will complete it within 6 years.
The college graduation rate for black students is 42 percent, but it’s slowly creeping upward.
60% of college dropouts had no financial help from parents to pay for tuition.
For individuals born in the 1980s, 80% of the wealthiest went to college by age 19 and 68% graduated by age 25. However, only 29% of the poorest individuals went to college and only 32% of those students finished by age 25.
Even though much of the burden is on the school to provide an inclusive environment, students can do a great deal to prepare for the transition from their high school to the college world. The below sections discuss three ways minority students can prepare for college.
From the Experts
Our diversity experts discuss the past, present and future of diversity on college campuses.
Dr. Afridi
An inclusive school is seen by its core mission and values. These are reflected in the curriculum, outreach to diverse groups and campus events. One can measure the diversity of a school by what type of centers it runs, the help it offers to students who are bilingual or socio economically disenfranchised. Manhattan College has a Lasallian value system which is inherently active in all activities and events of campus. We believe in excellence in teaching, respect for human dignity, reflection on faith and its relation to reason, an emphasis on ethical conduct, and commitment to social justice.
Jennifer Michael
Read and understand the colleges nondiscrimination policy and look for other policies online; housing policies that include gender blind housing, transgender housing policies and ways to classify yourself outside the binary. Look at the activities and leadership pages of the website for clubs that represent a diverse range of interests and lifestyles. Commonly those will advised by campus faculty and staff that work to build an inclusive campus environment. Most importantly, look at the college’s mission and goals. Often the mission and goals of an institution can be the first look at what the institution values and how that will be lived out during you time there.
The best way to know is to ask students themselves. As a campus administrator I know and appreciate the value of student voice in our efforts to recruit students and want all new students to know the truth about Wells and what we stand for. When you visit campus and have a chance to talk with Admission tour guides, ask really good questions, they are truly your best resource.
Kevin McDonough
Colleges and universities strive for inclusion and diversity, and this means ethnic, racial, economic and geographical diversity. But not all schools are as successful in accomplishing that goal. Looking at a school’s recent demographics and its historical make-up of the student body, faculty and staff is one way gauge whether a school is truly an inclusive institution. Researching a school online can yield useful information that you might not obtain directly from the institution. However, there is no substitute for visiting a school to get a direct feel for the campus environment. Reading about a school will never be as helpful as talking with current students to see if there is a true sense of inclusion and institutional support for diversity.
Dr. Afridi
Education is the primary motivation and key to diversity. Students can take on issues that are not their own but create events, awareness and education for their peers. For example, we have a Syria clothing drive that students have spearheaded and are motivating others about displaced people.
Jennifer Michael
Most importantly is an understanding that when you come to college all people come from varying back grounds and beliefs. You need to be understanding and aware of how each student is different and exploring their own identities as well. You should be active, engage in the community and use your voice to make a difference. Join a club or start one that fosters inclusion and respect for difference. Welcome new members and help validate the feelings of those on the fringe. Find your allies in the faculty and staff, talk to your Dean and seek opportunities to create experiences that shine light on an area that you can work towards making more inclusive.
Kevin McDonough
Make sure you socialize and interact in and outside of the classroom with other students from different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. This contributes to the academic and personal development of both students while promoting mutual understanding and awareness. When possible, help create opportunities for students from different groups to interact. This can be as simple as asking someone in your class or in your residence hall with a different background than you to have lunch.
Dr. Afridi
Diversity is connected to how warm the administration and faculty is—how well do you interact with people of all color and faith? Manhattan College also has a Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith education Center that is focused on dispelling myths about religion and race where students are very active. This helps students interact with other diverse students and become aware.
Jennifer Michael
First we need to recognize that diversity comes in all different ways; socio-economic, race, religion, sexuality, gender and many more. As educators we always want our environments to expose all students to varying perspectives and ideas.
To diversify a campus in specific ways college and university administrators need to be aware of the resources that group may need on your campus and be ready to put money towards them. Are faculty development programs offered to keep the in class educators in line with the colleges mission and goals? Do faculty use texts from varying perspectives and voice? Are staffed trained to given access to professional development on new topics and trends in higher education as it relates to diverse populations?
With increasing campus diversity comes an increased need to hiring folks in the faculty and staff that represent diverse perspectives as well. We want our students to be able to see themselves in us so institutions need to work hard to incorporate diverse perspectives in their hiring and recruitment work.
Kevin McDonough
According to the American Council on Education, numerous studies have shown that everyone gets a better education in a diverse environment. However, creating a truly diverse student body is a constant challenge. Institutions located in areas with diverse populations will have an easier time because diversity occurs more naturally. For institutions located in States and areas with a more homogenous population, it takes hard work by the administration and the admissions department to attract students from different backgrounds. As we are seeing at the University of Missouri this week, just having racial diversity is not the same as inclusion. Clearly, some students there do not believe the administration has done enough to fight discrimination and to support the inclusion of the minority student population into the University community. Overcoming such challenges requires strong institutional leadership and a developing a strong institutional awareness that having students, faculty and staff with a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds is an asset.
Student Involvement
Being heavily involved in diversity programs on campus has more than just the obvious benefits of making students feel more included and accepted – those who do join supportive groups can make new friends, learn about other cultures and beliefs, get a boost in professional networking, have access to additional academic and financial resources, and potentially make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Students can begin by researching what’s available at the school and in the larger community, how to join certain groups and organizations, and what will be required of regular participation. Keep in mind that most groups are open to anyone – for instance, you don’t have to be gay or lesbian to join the LGBT organization and offer your support to those who need it.
These multicultural and diversity programs and organizations can help students break out of their comfort zone and explore meaningful possibilities.
This is a national civil rights organization which exists to fight racial discrimination. The Youth & College Division consists of college chapters where students can organize to advance the NAACP’s mission. Anyone who is under 25 and is currently enrolled at a college or student is eligible to join.
The GSA organizations found on campus is made up of all students, in addition to those identifying as LGBTQ, with the goal of creating acceptance and positive attitudes among the community.
Made up of those who are disabled and their supporters, the Disability Alliance aims to provide a voice for the disabled as well as promote change that benefits those who are handicapped. This organization works toward everything from getting accommodations set up on campus to making society more accepting of the disabled and much more.
Here are some ways that students might be able to move out into the large community and spread the good word about diversity.
Developed by the Bonner Foundation, this multi-year program selects students who are enthusiastic about working with non-profit organizations during the school year. Students will provide about seven community service hours per week in the areas of social justice, diversity, community building, civic engagement, international perspective and spiritual exploration.
Student Multicultural and Diversity Resources
Finding the right resources can help students feel more at home on their college campuses; for those who want to be a welcoming force, using those resources can help them spread inclusiveness. The resources below, broken down into various groups, is a great place to begin.
Scholarships for Diverse & Multicultural Students
Colleges and universities recognize that students who are marginalized – for whatever reason – might need an added boost in the form of scholarships, grants and the like. The following scholarship opportunities are a great starting point for those who are looking for help for college.
