Diversity talks, diversity initiatives, diversity community dinners, retreats, conferences, diversity, diversity, diversity!
We hear it all the time, it's the new buzzword at Dartmouth. But have we ever asked ourselves what it really means to be diverse? And are we even close to achieving it?
During my sophomore and junior years of high school, before I ever even visited Dartmouth, I was well informed of its alleged "lack of diversity" and homogenous student body. Stricken with paranoia and a strange fear of not fitting the mold, I still submitted an early decision application to the school, allowing its world-renowned academics, pristine campus and unique study abroad programs to compensate for my concerns. It's funny now to look back upon these nave impressions I formed miles away from Hanover in my quaint suburban life. I say this because the moment I stepped on campus, each and every one of my concerns was quickly dispelled. Instead of finding racism and closed-minded people I had originally expected to encounter, I felt comfortable, at home, where I belonged. Dartmouth had picked me for a reason.
So what is the true meaning of diversity? I was browsing the Dartmouth website the other day and came across a page that boasts of Dartmouth's commitment to diversity. President James Wright addresses the institution's "commitment to the intellectual vibrancy and inquisitiveness that has historically marked all great universities." President Wright further continues, "Dartmouth is stronger today because of diversity. Students and faculty from different backgrounds and experiences help us all to confront and, finally, to understand the complicated richness of the world in which we live. A campus that values difference is one that encourages its members to explore the complexities that are central to intellectual life." Well, President Wright, I couldn't agree more.
And while all of these diversity initiatives are no doubt well-intentioned, the challenges arise when you actually start to examine the campus on a more intimate level. I feel that at Dartmouth, we often equate diversity with minorities, race and quotas. Herein lies the fundamental problem. The biggest lesson I have learned at Dartmouth -- and I continue to see it time and time again -- is that diversity means more than racial representation. It encompasses more than my words can even express -- different socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, family histories, hometowns, cultures and languages, among other things. What we overlook is that these things do exist here.
Now, let me pose another question. My name is Neha. That is one of my many identities. I am also Neha, the South Asian. I am Neha, the French major. I am Neha, the TriDelt. I am Neha, the Boston native. I am Neha, the obsessive Patriots fan. Which of the five identities I just gave you would you most quickly assign to me? Quite frankly, I'd assume my race. And I don't fault you -- my skin color is just the easiest thing to see about me; it's a surface identity. But often, people stop there.
So here's what I propose to you. With a full understanding of the complexities and multiplicities of diversity, it is vital that we, as individuals or as an institution, don't just advocate diversity for diversity's sake. President Wright spells out several reasons in his mission statement why Dartmouth aims to draw together a diverse student body. With these goals in mind, our university must strive to reach beyond the surface and learn to recognize the "different backgrounds and experiences" of our students. We are so focused on achieving racial diversity that we end up being counterproductive. There is a failure to place value in the other kinds of diversities that exist among us, and, all of a sudden, the Caucasian kid from a poor, rural area doesn't value his own diverse experience and therefore cannot and will not project it onto others. On the other hand, the African-American kid from New York City who is an award-winning violinist forgets about his talents and can only see himself as black. The racial implications of diversity are like a double-edged sword -- minorities feel pigeonholed and become obsessed with their race. Meanwhile, students outside the minority become increasingly conscious of others' race as the mark of diversity. It is only when we can appreciate all of each other's differences that we can learn what it truly means to be diverse. We aren't Columbia, nor are we Harvard, located in the center of a bustling metropolis. We are a microcosm of the world around us. It is therefore our even greater responsibility and duty to recognize that as important as race is to diversity, we cannot afford to get bogged down by it. There is a bigger picture out there. Is race a part of diversity? Yes. Is diversity equal to race? No.
Now let me bring you back to where I started. Dartmouth has it all. I applied here early decision three years ago, knowing it was the only school for me, and not once have I regretted my choice. Nowhere else in the world will you find the opportunities, the vibrant people, the natural setting, and such a perfect hybrid of cultures in one place. If I had let all those rumors I heard back in high school get the best of me and had let them prevent me from applying here, I would have missed out on the best four years of my life! Along my journey through my "Dartmouth Experience," I have encountered the most amazing group of individuals and experiences, which proves to me that Dartmouth actively strives to achieve high levels of diversity. Based on my personal growth, I am happy to say that, on so many levels, we've already accomplished this goal. There's always room for improvement, though, and through my discourse, I am simply proposing an institutional change. We've done the hard part, we've created the microcosm, and we've brought the diversity. All we have to do now is reconcile our visions with our realities.
