The demographics of America are changing rapidly. Students who attend college today and then join the workforce will face the most diverse population of workers in all fields – race, ethnicity, religion, and gender preference. If sensitivity and appreciation for these diverse populations is not developed in college, it will be very difficult for white Caucasian students to enter the adult world of work fully prepared. For this reason, it might be wise for white students to consider diversity in universities when they look to select the institutions they might wish to attend.
Two sources are generally used to compile very complete profiles of diversity on college campuses – the Shannon-Weiner Index and the National Center for Education Statistics. Based on the reports of these two sources, here is a listing of the 8 most diverse universities in America.
- Rutgers University – Newark, NJ
Rutgers is proud of its diversity and openly recruits students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. More than half of its student body is non-white, and the three largest racial groups are white, Asian, and Hispanic. In addition to a rigorous academic curriculum, the school sponsors regular programs and events to celebrate diversity and also offers a degree in minority studies – Jewish, African-American, Asian, Middle-Eastern, and Hispanic. Rutgers is now the most diverse university in the country.
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stanford is known for its “push” to create one of the most diverse universities in the U.S., and it has been fully successful in doing so. To promote awareness and relationships among all of these diverse it offers a number of student groups and organizations that blend members of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Even the residence halls are centered on themes that will bring greater diversity – humanities, the arts, biology, language and cultures, and global citizenship.
- Notre Dame De Namur, Belmont, CA
This private Catholic university puts its “money where its mouth is.” Not only does it openly recruit significant minority groups, but it also requires that all students take 9 credit hours from a curriculum in cultural diversity but requires community service work in local minority communities. Not only is this school one of the most diverse universities, but its graduate also has supreme exposure in real-world settings.
- University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
The majority of minority populations at this university are Asian, Pacific-Islander, native Hawaiians, and the LGBT community. It promotes cultural awareness by many campus-wide organizations and support organizations for a number of specific groups – East Indians, LGBT students, and Vietnamese, to name a few. While its African-American and Latino populations are small, so is its white population. Only 19% of the student body is Caucasian.
- Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA
58% of the student population in this school is non-white, and 1/3 of the student body is first-generation college-enrolled. Clubs and organizations support all minority groups, and instructors are employed from as diverse backgrounds as can be found.
- College of Mount St. Vincent, Bronx, NY
This college has an amazing record, specifically with academic performance and graduation rates of its 1/3 Hispanic population and a heft African-American population as well. In 2010, it had the highest percentage of Hispanic STEM graduates of any school in the country, among its population of first-generation, 67% graduate – also a significantly higher number than other schools. Its record earns its 6th place among the most diverse colleges in the U.S.
- Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI
Only 1/3 of the student population at this Seventh – Day Adventist College is white. The two other largest minority groups are African-American and Hispanic. There are cultural identity celebrations that last for as long as a month at a time throughout the year.
- University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
This school openly recruits minorities, specifically among African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, and LGBT communities, offering scholarships and many other benefits. Coursework in interdisciplinary studies focuses on the history, culture, and arts of all minority groups on its campus.
These then are the 8 most diverse colleges and universities in the U.S. They are followed by other schools in California, New York, New Jersey, and Maine. From the list of the top 50, there is not one Midwestern university and only one from the South, in Virginia. Two of the top 50 are in Texas. The list is interesting because it also points to the fact that the least diverse universities are clustered in very specific geographical areas.