What does it mean when colleges and universities talk about diversity? The word is typically used to refer to students and staff on campus who differ in terms of race, culture, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and ability. It also means the presence of people with diverse opinions, political views, and academic passions. However, a true, comprehensive definition of diversity should also include ways in which a diverse population engages with and explores its differences. Diversity on a college campus shapes not just your own identity, but the identity of the college as well.
While diversity may be one of many factors you use to decide which colleges are right for you, the implications of diversity are wide-ranging and can affect many aspects of your college experience and personal growth. Many campuses feature cultural organizations and campus centers where you can participate in discussions on diversity and difference and academic programs designed to educate its community on issues of difference. Let’s explore how you can sift through all this to find your community!
Make diversity personal
For many students, the degree to which a campus is diverse will determine how much they feel they fit in at the school. As you conduct your college search, remember your analysis will have a personal slant. Just as only you are the expert on whether a campus is right for you, how diverse a campus feels is determined by who you are and your own ideals for a future community.
Not everyone shares the same goals when it comes to finding a diverse community in college. As a means of evaluating diversity, begin with evaluating yourself. Ask yourself some questions throughout your college search, such as:
- What kind of community will allow me to grow personally and intellectually?
- Do I wish to be part of a community that identifies similarly to me?
- Am I looking to be challenged by new viewpoints, or am I hoping to find a community of people who share my opinions?
- What kind of conversations about diversity do I wish to have in college?
Once you’ve generated some preliminary thoughts on what you are looking for in a college community, it’s time to explore what different institutions offer. College websites generally outline the cultural organizations, resource centers, and campus programming available to students. Look at what is offered—or not offered—and think about how likely you are to find the community that would most help you grow.
Related: 5 Good Questions to Evaluate Diversity in a College
Think about the college’s mission
Almost every college and university has a mission statement that influences the kind of environment the school fosters on campus in academic, social, and extracurricular culture. Schools will often include goals to recruit and retain diverse students, faculty, and staff and may consider diversity a crucial element of the campus community. For instance, Swarthmore College, a small, Quaker-founded liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. It was progressive in its inclusion of women as a coeducational institution right from the start. The College was also one of the first schools in the United States to open its doors to students from racially diverse backgrounds. Since then, Swarthmore’s mission has always included the importance of diversity in its community and academic offerings.
Today, roughly 45% of Swarthmore’s domestic students identify as students of color, and 15% of students hail from international backgrounds. Students and staff actively engage in conversations inside and outside of the classroom on diverse issues, allowing each student to explore their identity. A highlight of fall orientation is the Summer Social Justice Institute, a multiple-day program in which student resource personnel and current students facilitate discussions on diversity and difference on campus with incoming first-years.
Explore what is being taught
A diverse curriculum can indicate a campus’ attitude toward embracing difference and fighting for change. Colleges that value diversity are more likely to have departments focusing on the literature and research of historically unrepresented peoples. Departments such as Cultural & Ethnic Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies are often found on campuses that value every voice being heard on campus. Institutions also promote diversity by providing a wealth of campus events, such as guest speakers, performances, and workshops that focus on multicultural issues. Many institutions that value diversity will encourage students to immerse themselves in a new culture through study abroad as well.
Swarthmore recognizes the importance of engaging with diversity off campus with half of our student body studying abroad during their four years through more than 100 programs worldwide. The College’s Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility helps students get involved in service and activism to help diverse communities locally and abroad. How much a campus is willing to emphasize the importance of multicultural perspectives is a first step toward determining how you will be treated on campus!
Related: What Does Diversity Really Mean on Your College Campus?
Ask people on campus about diversity
Current students, faculty, and staff know how people engage with diversity on campus. They can also provide insight into what it is like to be a member of an identity-based organization or department. If you’re interested in a particular club or program at a school, don’t hesitate to contact its coordinator or a group member. Speak with as many people as possible to gain a variety of perspectives. Ask substantive questions of the people you contact, such as “How is diversity a part of everyday life on campus?” and “How comfortable do you feel finding out more about your identity and discussing identity issues?”
Find culture in clubs and organizations
Colleges and universities offer plenty of extracurricular activities, and many pertain to culture—celebrating it, learning about it, living it. Here’s just a sample of some of the multicultural clubs and organizations you might find on college campuses using a few major schools across the country, including Swarthmore.
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore offers students more than 150 student clubs and organizations. Here’s just portion of the diverse cultural and lifestyle clubs offered on campus:
- African American Student Society
- Aja, a club for Black women and non-binary people
- ASL Club
- Athletes for Diversity and Inclusion
- BLACK, a club for Black men and masculine-identifying student
- Chinese Journal, a bilingual news and literary publication
- Deshi, South Asian Student Club
- Deutsch Club
- Disability Association
- Enlace, a Latine Cultural Group
- Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association
- Gender Minorities in Mathematics and Statistics (GEMS)
- HAN, a club for Korean and Korean-American students
- I20, a club for international students
- Jewish Voices for Peace
- Indigenous Student Association
- Mei, group for Chinese dance
- Muslim Student Association
- Organizing to Redefine “Asian” Activism
- Redefine Her Street, a women-centered career support group
- Students for Justice in Palestine
- Students of Caribbean Ancestry
- Swarthmore Sangha, a Buddhist religious group
- Swat Thai, Thai culture club
- Trans at Swat
- Taiwanese Association
- Queer Union
Case Western Reserve University
· Case Western Reserve University is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio’s University Circle—the most culturally robust community in the nation. Meeting the standards of the region, CWRU offers its students more than 200 clubs and organizations, including many centered around culture and diversity, such as:
- Advocates for Immigrants & Diversity
- Asian American Alliance
- Black Student Union
- Brazilian Undergraduate Cultural Association
- The Brotherhood, a group for men of African Descent
- Chinese Students Association
- German Society
- French Club
- Filipino Student Union
- First CWRU, a group for first-generation students
- Iranian Society
- La Alianza, Latinx student organization
- La Dolce Vita, Italian Club
- Lebanese Student Organization
- Mandarin Club
- Mediterranean Cultural Club
- Middle Eastern Cultural Association
- Naadam, Indian Classical Music club
- Nigerian Student Association
- Pakistani Student Association
- Project Ukraine
- Third Culture Association
- Tsunagari Japan, a language and culture club
- Turkish Student Association
- Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equality
- Vietnamese Student Association
New York University
New York University is a global university with a main campus in the city and two major campuses in other countries. They know diversity is important in fostering global-minded students, and that’s why they offer 300+ organizations like:
- Aftab: Rays of Light, Islamic literary magazine
- Arab Students United
- Armenian Students Association
- Beit Sagol: The Jewish Cultural Foundation
- Bella Quisqueya, Dominican culture club
- Bengali Student Association
- Black and Latino Student Association
- Brown Sugar Brilliance, Black and Queer student group
- CampGrrl, a club for LBTQ women and nonbinary students
- Cuban American Student Association
- Dillagi, Bollywood Dance Troupe
- Ecuadorian Student Association
- Egyptian Union
- Haitian American Student Association
- Half Asian Peoples Association
- Hellenic Heritage Association
- Hindu Student Union
- Indonesian Students Association
- Malaysian Students Association
- Mexican Folklor, dance group
- Native American and Indigenous Students Group
- Nepali Student Association
- Persian Cultural Society
- PorColombia, a club for Colombian and Latinx students
- Puerto Rican Student Association
- Saudi Students Association
- Singapore Students Association
- United Sikh Association
- World Cultures Club
- ¡Viva Perú!
Related: A Look at 6 Diverse National Clubs on College Campuses
A diverse college or university is an exciting and beneficial place to be a student. Why? Students who have classmates, professors, and mentors from different backgrounds are exposed to new viewpoints and perspectives. As a result, you’re more likely to become an open-minded and global thinker. It enriches discussions inside and outside the classroom to prepare you to embrace a multicultural world upon graduation.
There are a lot more diverse colleges where these come from! Check out all our featured colleges and universities that value diversity on campus.
