Diversity Case

Reflection: Diversity

Speaker: Rebecca Paz, Director of PILOTS Program

On Friday we talked about diversity in lecture and the difficulties international students and out of state students faced.

In my opinion, international students have a harder time than any other student because they are leaving their culture behind and going to a different country. For example, an international student spoke to us on Friday and explained how Kansas was not that diverse. He could not find any Indian restaurants or something that reminds him of home. He also spoke of the cultural differences in behavior, what we think is respectful is rude in his country. He also expressed his feelings about not being able to go home over Thanksgiving break because he was too far away from home. He explained how he would love to go home but the distance is too much.

Ms. Paz also asked us to define the difference between diversity and inclusion and to explain the difference between them. Diversity is the difference or variety whereas inclusion is more the act of taking in your surroundings to become part of a whole, group, or the state of being included. Although we focused on diversity most of the time we hit a little on inclusion. The international student that was there was telling us a little about he observed and took in his surroundings so that he could be apart or somewhat fit into his surroundings. He explained how difficult this was for him because he is used to his cutltural ways.