Diversity

Diversity is very important to ASU. Diversity allows students to interactive with each other in a similar way to how it is in the real world. The reality is that after colllege, people will be mixed in with everyone around the world. Alumni will be globally engaged with diversity in the world.

ASU defines the word "in terms of representation and inclusion." Representation shows the many forms of diversity. A common misconseption is that when diversity comes to mind, people think of those from a different race or gender. Mostly though, race is recognized first as the determination of diversity. In actuality, diversity covers a broad spectrum. For intance, diversity can cover different racial or ethnic groups, religions, nationalities, social classes, gender, and ableness, just to name a few. Each one of these can be found at ASU.

On the other hand, inclusion describes providing a safe learning and working environment that welcomes all people. Delia Saenz, director of ASU's Intergroup Relations Center and Psychology professor, commented that inclusion is "characterized by our openness to difference and to discovery, both in the way we think and in the way we interact with others." Students display an oppenness to new experiences through diversity. Instinctively, people are drawn to others who are like them. But diversity is beneficial for the fact it provides exposure to new knowledge. It brings new information about people and places different from others that they might have never known if they did not come in contact with them.

The reason ASU supports diversity so much is because "connecting with people from different backgrounds enriches the college experience." Who would want to hang around with a hundred clones of themselves? In this way, you get to see different viewpoints and ways of looking at the world. Students come in contact with new experiences. They also see how others live who are from different areas of the country or world.

More than anything, diversity improves society by the collaboration of different people. A great example of this is democracy. Diversity allowed the governmental form of democracy to travel from Ancient Greece to many other countries. Experiencing diversity is easier than ever at ASU, due to its huge exchange program. There are students from all walks of life at the university. It's a great addition to the campus that all students should take advantage of.