Diversity has become the symbol of higher education. It is what prestigious institutions and businesses strive to achieve. The idea is ubiquitous, underlying hiring policies, admissions and law-making procedures. Diversity has become the goal of the 21st century, replacing a system that once mocked racial, ethnic and religious difference with piercing hatred and obdurate apathy.
But there is a problem. I'm afraid "diversity" is more myth than reality; more theoretical than truth. It has been confused with integration. There is no doubt that one can observe racial, ethnic, class and religious variation on college campuses and in businesses, but diversity is more than having representation or variation. Simple representation is analogous to a quota system in that it is only concerned with attaining a certain number of individuals from representative communities. I do not believe that this is the goal of prestigious institutions and businesses. I believe the purpose of diversity is to amalgamate different worldly perspectives, cultures, experiences and religious beliefs and in the process, create an environment that simultaneously celebrates the individual and the individual's contribution to the community. Diversity is not isolated homogenous communities operating independently in the greater community. That is integration.
And so class of 2007, this is my message to you. Admissions officers and college recruiters are only able to integrate college campuses. Diversity is achieved through your efforts. It thrives in meaningful interactions, in challenging situations that are uncomfortable at first, but soon become commonplace. Every freshman class is told this a million times, but by the end of freshmen year it is forgotten by many.
My class, the class of 2006, was no exception. We were curious, effervescent freshmen, eager to meet everyone, eager to step out of comfort zones and form what will become lifelong friendships. But many of us did not step far enough out of comfort zones. There are those of us who searched out only those who looked and thought like us. In this way, we did a disservice to diversity. I am convinced that over the course of one year, the initial enthusiasm over the unknown and the novel is transformed into the comfort of familiarity. I am convinced that many are consumed by this perpetual cycle. Break the cycle, class of 2007.
In last year's convocation speech President Wright said, "survey data from previous Dartmouth classes suggest that students come here wanting to transcend boundaries and to make new and different friends." The data also indicates that upon graduation many wish that they had been more successful in this task. The only way not to share in this regret is by refusing to settle for familiarity.
President Wright went on to say, "never before and likely never again will you live and work in such a small, intimate 24-hour-a-day community, with so many people so different from you. If you seek out only the obviously like and like-minded, your comfort might initially seem somewhat greater, but your challenges, I can assure you, will be smaller and your learning less." I agree with President Wright. Class of 2007, do not pass up this opportunity. Take all you can from the unique experiences of your peers.
Class of 2007, you will grow up to be future leaders in every facet of American society. America needs leaders who are educated not only academically, but who also understand the demands of a pluralistic society. America needs leaders who are skilled in the art of tolerance and who are lead by an irrepressible desire for understanding and innovation. Those who live their lives in the comfort of familiarity cannot be good leaders. They are bound by unjustifiable prejudice and they are condemned to a one-sided view of the world.
As you decide with whom to sit at lunch, with whom to speak, with whom to hang out on Saturday night, class of 2007, please remember my message. Four years is a short time that will pass very quickly, but it's enough time to experience diversity at its peak and in the process to form substantial friendships and life experiences that will define your outlook on life from here on. The nature of diversity in the future will depend on your ability to make the myth reality.