Gabrielle Lowery
Staff Writer
One of the most exciting things about coming to a college campus, is often the diversity of people you can meet there. College students range from all races, ethnicities, backgrounds and ages, allowing many students a real chance to learn from people who are so different from themselves.. The people around you have much to offer and once you graduate you’ve potentially experienced one case of multiculturalism on the diverse campus.
Multiculturalism is often overlooked within small groups of friends or the classroom. Oftentimes people tend to acknowledge that people are culturally different but neglect to recognize how these cultures intertwine and the importance of interculturalism.
According to collegefactual.com, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is ranked #354 in ethnic diversity nationwidem which is far above average. Students are constantly exposed to cultural diversity across campus but how does this benefit them?
Research has shown that cultural diversity benefits students by enriching the educational experience, improving communication and thought processing skills, challenging stereotypes and even preparing students for the workforce.
However, are students receiving these benefits or do universities use diversity to lure in more students for profit?
According to Peterson’s.com, “diversity means that the campus is viewed as a welcoming environment for anyone who wants to apply. Having an inclusive mission at an educational institution says something progressive and important about their campus that they value diversity and will allow their students to express themselves as they see fit.”
UNCG’s campus diversity and inclusion department states, “We actively seek to create a campus climate that offers opportunities for intercultural engagement and advancement as our students come from the Triad region, the South, the United States and from our global connections around the world. Students, faculty and staff are key players in creating a healthy campus climate. Friends, alumni and community members also support and benefit from a positive climate.
It is the responsibility of students to understand the benefits of being a part of a culturally diverse environment and take advantage of the many opportunities that aid in personal development. UNCG hosts tons of activities that involve the exploration of different cultures, including International festivals.
Kolbe Adkins, a staff writer describes the international festival as being like the film ,“Around the World in 80 Days.” The festival is hosted by UNCG and welcomes the local Greensboro community to embrace multiculturalism.
This event is one of many that allow students to explore the cultural differences of their peers by indulging in different foods, arts and styles of the many cultures across campus.
As a student, it is important to be involved around the campus and aware of the differences between you and your peers. These differences can help you to become more understanding of the world around you and prepare you for your career once you graduate.
Categories: Features
THE CAROLINIAN 
This is a very timely article because of the leadership of this nation and his warped sense of thinking. The U.S. is a melting pot of different cultures and for years people have struggled to embrace differences. Now we have a leader in the White House urging us to kick people out of our country if they’re not like him. I’m not like him and never want to be or look like him. Forging relationships with others who don’t look like you, talk like you, or even smell like you has to be intentional. Nobody wakes up in the morning and think, ‘I’m going to look for someone not like me and become their friend’. Besides, it takes more than being a ‘friend’. It is a relationship where you envelop and embrace who the other person is; how you can learn from them; what you bring to the relationship that will enlighten them; and most of all how you blend what you know about each other to emulate being different isn’t a bad thing. If only our leadership would think that way. All isn’t loss because the next generation like the writer of this article are our future leaders and they have an entirely new and better way of thinking which embrace differences.
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