Why Diversity in Colleges & Universities Matters

When you interact with people from different backgrounds, there's much to learn. Diverse environments can help people develop empathy, build meaningful relationships, expand their worldviews, and become more innovative through collaboration.

Diversity in colleges and universities is crucial as it sets the stage for one's future. The college and university environment prepares students to work with (and potentially recruit and hire) diverse people in professional settings. According to research by McKinsey & Company, diversity and inclusion in the workplace lead to better business outcomes, including above-average profitability.

The excellent news is colleges and universities today are more diverse than ever. According to the Education Data Initiative, nonwhite student attendance in colleges and universities has increased by 185.5% since 1976. Nearly half (48.4%) of college students identify as something other than White or Caucasian. Enrollment by Hispanic students is accelerating, as the National Center for Education Statistics reports 36% of Hispanic 18-to-24-year-olds enrolled in college, up from 32% in 2010.

Diversity in colleges is likely to increase as U.S. population trends show the number of persons of color continues to grow, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Jonathan Racster, faculty member for the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in the School of General Education at Purdue Global, shares his thoughts on diversity in universities and why it matters.

What Is Diversity?

When discussing diversity, people often think of racial or ethnic orientation. But diversity goes deeper than that. Types of diversity also include:

• Age
• Cultural background
• Different ability
• Gender
• Income level
• Personality type
• Religion
• Sexual identity and orientation
• Social status

"Every individual is unique," Racster says. "In a fair and equitable world, that would be what it's all about: how are you unique from the next person around you?

"But in our reality, there are group-wide distinctions that do exist that have a real-world impact on life chances and outcomes," Racster continues. "This is where diversity becomes the key issue."

For colleges and universities, these differences have historically impacted access, Racster says. Schools have addressed this disparity by first creating separate schools for different groups; then, much later, by integrating existing colleges and universities by increasing the numbers of students from diverse categories.

"Colleges are trying to integrate the institutions that were traditionally more white male institutions; there’s more of a push to include different groups," Racster says.

Why Is Diversity Important in Higher Education?

Diversity is essential in the college and university experience because exposure to different people and their perspectives allows students to learn from one another.

"Diversity gives you a chance for something new," Racster says. "We don't want to be stuck in an echo chamber where we're just talking our ideas back to each other.

"Diversity allows for innovation and a way to improve your interpersonal skills," Racster continues. "When faced with a diverse crowd, you must expand your skill set and worldview to incorporate new ideas."

A diverse student body is essential to promote the atmosphere of creation, speculation, and experimentation necessary for higher education. Diversity enhances education, and students gain intellectual benefits from being exposed to peers from diverse backgrounds. It also bolsters support for upholding affirmative action in higher education.

According to Shorelight, diversity in colleges and universities:

• Encourages self-reflection – Interacting with people of diverse cultures and situations can help students be aware of their biases.
• Produces better results – Students are more engaged and better prepared for different career opportunities.
• Promotes creative thinking – Exposure to people from different backgrounds creates an appreciation for varying perspectives.

"Ultimately, diversity directly improves the learning process. For professors, it improves how we deliver information because we have to think about what we're saying to make sure it is translatable to all audiences. This gives us a chance to reflect on what we're saying, giving us an opportunity for a new perspective. It also creates space for conversation, expansion of knowledge, and understanding," Racster says.

"When it comes to diversity in education itself, you never know where the next greatest mind is going to come from," Racster continues. "We're simply limiting ourselves if we only hit one demographical note."

Racster notes a few examples of diverse people imparting knowledge: 

• Alan Turing – "He was a gay male famously in charge of breaking the codes during World War II for the Allies,” Racster says. “He is also credited for his undeniable contribution to the modern computer."
• Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birutė Galdikas – "As female primatologists, they were marginalized by their male counterparts. Still, they changed the way we see primates today," Racster says.
• Rosalind Franklin – "If it weren't for her, Watson and Crick probably would not have been able to figure out the structure of DNA," Racster observes.
• Gladys West – Dr. West, a renowned Black scientist and STEM pioneer, is known for her contribution to the foundation of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. 

When diversity in universities increases, so does the potential for groundbreaking, world-changing ideas to emerge.

"Opening the opportunity for education and discourse to many different types of people allows the expansion of all fields," Racster says.

What Challenges Do Colleges and Universities Face With Diversity?

As of January 2023, the Supreme Court was considering two affirmative action-related cases that challenge affirmative action programs in higher education. According to The New York Times, a decision to throw out race-conscious admissions would decrease the representation of Black and Latino students.

"Let's be clear—this is not just going to impact universities; it’ll impact diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workforce," Racster says. "It's been established through experience that if race is removed as part of a holistic assessment for admission, the representation of African American students will drop drastically, as happened in California [after the state banned affirmative action].

"Without a holistic admissions process that includes race and ethnicity, we are maintaining the structural violence that has existed in our society," Racster continues.

In addition to supporting diversity through admissions, support for variety must extend to in-person teaching and online learning formats. Faculty who help promote and support diversity in both physical and virtual classrooms may:

• Lead the course with a statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
• Choose course content from a diverse range of sources
• Adapt course content to a wide range of learning styles
• Provide practice exams
• Use anonymous grading systems
• Offer students resources that support diverse learning styles
• Use inclusive language

For diversity efforts to be successful in higher education, professors, administrators, and student support staff must lead with emotional intelligence. Empathy and self-awareness help build great student relationships.

Interested in Studying and Working With Diverse Populations?

At Purdue Global, we support diversity by accommodating all students in our online classroom formats. Our inclusive courses ensure those with unique learning styles get the support they need. Students are surrounded by peers from all over the country—and often the world—who are passionate about learning and want to achieve meaningful results.

Purdue Global also offers an Online Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity. This program teaches students how to identify, manage, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. To learn more, contact us for more information.