Diversity

Diversity is a key component in the environment at ASU. You can come to school every day and see all different kinds of cultures represented. It’s fascinating to know that students come from all over the world (141 countries) to be here at ASU. Award-winning writer Maya Angelou once stated, “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” We have so many opportunities as ASU students to meet all kinds of people from different cultures, which I consider a great advantage. Each one of us is different, with different backgrounds, but we all come together because we chose this university to help make our goals a reality. ASU connects diversity with both representation and inclusion. Representation helps allows us to realize that there is more to diversity than simply skin color. There are many things to consider, such as nationality, religion, social class, and ableness. Allowing ourselves to learn about these various cultures, interacting with different types of people will educate ourselves more than a textbook ever could. We’re all part of one human race, and I see it a necessity to learn, and be able to take advantage of what we can teach one another. This is where inclusion comes in. Inclusion is the acceptance and openness of new ideas and experiences. It is more than simply appreciating the diversity both on campus and anywhere else we may be. We must also be open to learn about these new cultures. As times are moving forward, it is becoming more and more important to educate ourselves on different cultures. There is a good chance any of our careers will involve international relations, especially business-related careers. There is also a good chance that the people sitting next to you in your classes or in your career will be of different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, social classes, etc… We must all learn about each other, and ASU realizes this. ASU promotes a strict anti-discrimination policy to ensure that even if none of us appreciate the diversity on campus, that none of us will ever act against diversity. The policy states: “Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and veteran status.” Times are progressing and it’s time for all of us to realize it. We interact on a global level every single say, whether we’re in the workplace, school, or running to the store. We’re all interacting, which is a perfect step in the right direction.