Research Blog #1

         For my research blog entry # 1, I read the article " Why Does Diversity Matter at College Anyway." This article was featured on usnews.com's Professors Guide and written by Jeremy S. Hyman and Lynn Jacobs with the help of Aaron Thompson, a professor at Eastern Kentucky University and author of "Diversity and the College Experience". At first glance after reading the headline I thought the author would try to justify that cultural acceptance at a large university was something irrelevant in today's world. I was pleasantly surprised at the approach to not only recognize diversity in race, ethnicity and gender but also adding the importance of accepting those with different religious, social, and sexual orientation than ourselves.
        The authors point out eight important benefits to promoting cultural acceptance on campus:

• "Diversity expands worldliness"
• "Diversity enhances social development"
• "Diversity prepares students for future career success"
• "Diversity prepares students for work in global society"
• "Increase our knowledge base"
• "Diversity promotes creative thinking"
• "Diversity enhances self awareness"
• "Enriches multiple perspectives"

        The author states that for most students, entering college is the first time they will have interaction with so many different groups of people. A college campus is a melting pot of cultural diversity and can be overwhelming for a student who came from a small town or hasn't been exposed to people outside of the discourse community, school or church. Another great point the author makes is that without diversity the world would be so boring if we all were the same and you only associated yourself with people that were carbon copies of yourself. My favorite point of the article states that with learning diversity before starting your professional career, you also become sensitive to human differences and accepting of others beliefs or preferences. As a dance major at Old Dominion University, I have been lucky enough to meet some of the most wonder dancers from all over the United States and while some of them share a different sexual orientation or religious belief than me, our appreciation of dance and cultural has brought us together in a healthy friendship. This relates to the authors statement about the professional workplace and diversity. They state that no matter what you decide to pursue as a professional, you will be surrounded by employers, coworkers and clients with different backgrounds. Another career related point the authors address is the clear view you will achieve in problem solving, angles, and vantage points by expanding your mind. In closing the article, the author clearly summarizes my the importance of embracing diversity on campus in saying "You gain a panoramic perspective of the world around you and a more complete view of your place in it"

Hyman, Jeremey and Jacobs, Lynn. Why Does Diversity Matter at College Anyway. US News 2009. 12 August 2009.