American University prides itself on diversity. Ambassadors are constantly telling all prospective students about the wide range of nationalities, social/cultural backgrounds, and future aspirations that they will find on AU’s campus.
It is true that AU does have a higher average of international students than most schools, a larger gay/lesbian community, and at least some socioeconomic differences, but is this enough to claim “diversity?”
AU’s touted diversity is what initially attracted me here. I was born in Scotland, moved to Portugal when I was 8 years old and then onto Angola when I was 10. I went to boarding school in Kenya for high school and have spent about a year and a half intermittently in Texas. I am a double major in International Relations and Philosophy, fulfilling a common AU stereotype and my nerdy side. I am an avid runner, member of Model United Nations, leading an Alternative Break this winter to South Africa, a work study at the International Admissions Office and a coffee addict. I love to travel and read. I strongly dislike people who chew with their mouths open and people who shuffle their feet while walking. But this column is not about my political opinions, frustrations about the media, or just about myself — it’s about all of us.
Having a university at least say they understand “global nomads” was refreshing and eventually led me to choose AU. Now three years into my degree, I am wondering if AU has fulfilled its promise of diversity. I do have an eclectic group of friends, both internationally and domestically. I work in the International Admissions Office where I am in constant contact with the several hundred international students on campus and prospective students. My roommates alone hail from Colorado, Florida, and Tennessee. And this diversity doesn’t have geographical limits. My friends are gay, straight, liberal, conservative, atheists, devout Christians, pre-med majors and economists. Yet I am not sure if this circle of friends is a result of AU’s diversity or my own curiosity of different cultures and social opinions.
Every other week I will look at a different sub-group of the AU student body, such as internationals, global nomads, Panamanian business majors, GLBT activists, feminists, or Student Government members. I will also sometimes look at the sub-groups AU is missing and maybe why, such as football players and interior design majors. Ultimately I hope to answer this central question — “Is AU really a diverse campus or do we just have abnormal majorities?” If AU really is just made up of abnormal majorities and not a wide range of minorities, then maybe we need to shift our advertising from diverse to unique.
I would love your help in this endeavor. Tell me what groups you consider yourself a part of and whether or not you think AU is diverse. I am looking forward to talking to you and learning more about who we are as AU students and who we are not.
Sarah McHaney is a junior in the School of International Service and an AU affairs columnist for The Eagle. You can reach this columnist at edpage@theeagleonline.com.