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• How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples

How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on November 1, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Table of contents

What is a diversity essay, identify how you will enrich the campus community, share stories about your lived experience, explain how your background or identity has affected your life, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Diversity essays ask students to highlight an important aspect of their identity, background, culture, experience, viewpoints, beliefs, skills, passions, goals, etc.

Diversity essays can come in many forms. Some scholarships are offered specifically for students who come from an underrepresented background or identity in higher education. At highly competitive schools, supplemental diversity essays require students to address how they will enhance the student body with a unique perspective, identity, or background.

In the Common Application and applications for several other colleges, some main essay prompts ask about how your background, identity, or experience has affected you.

Why schools want a diversity essay

Many universities believe a student body representing different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community.

Through the diversity essay, admissions officers want students to articulate the following:

• What makes them different from other applicants
• Stories related to their background, identity, or experience
• How their unique lived experience has affected their outlook, activities, and goals

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Think about what aspects of your identity or background make you unique, and choose one that has significantly impacted your life.

For some students, it may be easy to identify what sets them apart from their peers. But if you’re having trouble identifying what makes you different from other applicants, consider your life from an outsider’s perspective. Don’t presume your lived experiences are normal or boring just because you’re used to them.

Some examples of identities or experiences that you might write about include the following:

• Race/ethnicity
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Nationality
• Socioeconomic status
• Immigration background
• Religion/belief system
• Place of residence
• Family circumstances
• Extracurricular activities related to diversity

Include vulnerable, authentic stories about your lived experiences. Maintain focus on your experience rather than going into too much detail comparing yourself to others or describing their experiences.

Keep the focus on you

Tell a story about how your background, identity, or experience has impacted you. While you can briefly mention another person’s experience to provide context, be sure to keep the essay focused on you. Admissions officers are mostly interested in learning about your lived experience, not anyone else’s.

When I was a baby, my grandmother took me in, even though that meant postponing her retirement and continuing to work full-time at the local hairdresser. Even working every shift she could, she never missed a single school play or soccer game.

She and I had a really special bond, even creating our own special language to leave each other secret notes and messages. She always pushed me to succeed in school, and celebrated every academic achievement like it was worthy of a Nobel Prize. Every month, any leftover tip money she received at work went to a special 509 savings plan for my college education.

When I was in the 10th grade, my grandmother was diagnosed with ALS. We didn’t have health insurance, and what began with quitting soccer eventually led to dropping out of school as her condition worsened. In between her doctor’s appointments, keeping the house tidy, and keeping her comfortable, I took advantage of those few free moments to study for the GED.

In school pictures at Raleigh Elementary School, you could immediately spot me as “that Asian girl.” At lunch, I used to bring leftover fun see noodles, but after my classmates remarked how they smelled disgusting, I begged my mom to make a “regular” lunch of sliced bread, mayonnaise, and deli meat.

Although born and raised in North Carolina, I felt a cultural obligation to learn my “mother tongue” and reconnect with my “homeland.” After two years of all-day Saturday Chinese school, I finally visited Beijing for the first time, expecting I would finally belong. While my face initially assured locals of my Chinese identity, the moment I spoke, my cover was blown. My Chinese was littered with tonal errors, and I was instantly labeled as an “ABC,” American-born Chinese.

I felt culturally homeless.

Speak from your own experience

Highlight your actions, difficulties, and feelings rather than comparing yourself to others. While it may be tempting to write about how you have been more or less fortunate than those around you, keep the focus on you and your unique experiences, as shown below.

I began to despair when the FAFSA website once again filled with red error messages.

I had been at the local library for hours and hadn’t even been able to finish the form, much less the other to-do items for my application.

I am the first person in my family to even consider going to college. My parents work two jobs each, but even then, it’s sometimes very hard to make ends meet. Rather than playing soccer or competing in speech and debate, I help my family by taking care of my younger siblings after school and on the weekends.

“We only speak one language here. Speak proper English!” roared a store owner when I had attempted to buy bread and accidentally used the wrong preposition.

In middle school, I had relentlessly studied English grammar textbooks and received the highest marks.

Leaving Seoul was hard, but living in West Orange, New Jersey was much harder一especially navigating everyday communication with Americans.

After sharing relevant personal stories, make sure to provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your perspective, activities, and goals. You should also explain how your background led you to apply to this university and why you’re a good fit.

Include your outlook, actions, and goals

Conclude your essay with an insight about how your background or identity has affected your outlook, actions, and goals. You should include specific actions and activities that you have done as a result of your insight.

One night, before the midnight premiere of Avengers: Endgame , I stopped by my best friend Maria’s house. Her mother prepared tamales, churros, and Mexican hot chocolate, packing them all neatly in an Igloo lunch box. As we sat in the line snaking around the AMC theater, I thought back to when Maria and I took salsa classes together and when we belted out Selena’s “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” at karaoke. In that moment, as I munched on a chicken tamale, I realized how much I admired the beauty, complexity, and joy in Maria’s culture but had suppressed and devalued my own.

The following semester, I joined Model UN. Since then, I have learned how to proudly represent other countries and have gained cultural perspectives other than my own. I now understand that all cultures, including my own, are equal. I still struggle with small triggers, like when I go through airport security and feel a suspicious glance toward me, or when I feel self-conscious for bringing kabsa to school lunch. But in the future, I hope to study and work in international relations to continue learning about other cultures and impart a positive impression of Saudi culture to the world.

The smell of the early morning dew and the welcoming whinnies of my family’s horses are some of my most treasured childhood memories. To this day, our farm remains so rural that we do not have broadband access, and we’re too far away from the closest town for the postal service to reach us.

Going to school regularly was always a struggle: between the unceasing demands of the farm and our lack of connectivity, it was hard to keep up with my studies. Despite being a voracious reader, avid amateur chemist, and active participant in the classroom, emergencies and unforeseen events at the farm meant that I had a lot of unexcused absences.

Although it had challenges, my upbringing taught me resilience, the value of hard work, and the importance of family. Staying up all night to watch a foal being born, successfully saving the animals from a minor fire, and finding ways to soothe a nervous mare afraid of thunder have led to an unbreakable family bond.

Our farm is my family’s birthright and our livelihood, and I am eager to learn how to ensure the farm’s financial and technological success for future generations. In college, I am looking forward to joining a chapter of Future Farmers of America and studying agricultural business to carry my family’s legacy forward.

Tailor your answer to the university

After explaining how your identity or background will enrich the university’s existing student body, you can mention the university organizations, groups, or courses in which you’re interested.

Maybe a larger public school setting will allow you to broaden your community, or a small liberal arts college has a specialized program that will give you space to discover your voice and identity. Perhaps this particular university has an active affinity group you’d like to join.

Demonstrating how a university’s specific programs or clubs are relevant to you can show that you’ve done your research and would be a great addition to the university.

At the University of Michigan Engineering, I want to study engineering not only to emulate my mother’s achievements and strength, but also to forge my own path as an engineer with disabilities. I appreciate the University of Michigan’s long-standing dedication to supporting students with disabilities in ways ranging from accessible housing to assistive technology. At the University of Michigan Engineering, I want to receive a top-notch education and use it to inspire others to strive for their best, regardless of their circumstances.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

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21 Essays About Diversity For Students and Writers

Colleges and employers often ask for essays about diversity as part of the application process, and this list of 21 topic ideas is a great place to start.

Diversity is a hot topic in today’s society. Everything from ethnicity to sexual orientation can be a topic to discuss when discussing ethical and cultural diversity. If you are assigned a diversity essay for your high school or college classwork, your writing begins with finding a great topic.

Essays about diversity often explore the writer’s cultural background or demographic. While ethnicity can be one topic, diversity can also discuss gender, socioeconomic status, and even non-ethnic culture. These factors give the writer a unique perspective on life and society, and that makes an excellent starting point for an essay.

Because diversity is such a broad topic, you may find it difficult to create an essay or personal statement on this particular topic without direction. Here are some topic ideas that can help you connect your experiences to the topic of diversity. Before we dive in , for help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

1. The Definition of Diversity

2. why diversity matters in society, 3. how workplaces can promote diversity and inclusion, 4. what are the drawbacks of emphasizing diversity in the workplace, 5. what are the benefits of diversity in the workplace, 6. how a diverse student body benefits a college, 7. how has an aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences, 8. describe your place within a community group, 9. does racial discrimination exist, and how has it changed, 10. describe a diverse community you have been part of, 11. how did you overcome your socioeconomic status, 12. how can you contribute to the diversity of an organization, 13. what are the main problems preventing gender equality, 14. how does diversity influence college students, 15. how can you become more diverse, 16. why are ancient traditions important, 17. mass media’s influence on cultural diversity, 18. how to find a sense of belonging in a multicultural group, 19. communication in a diverse community, 20. how the digital world increases cultural diversity, 21. is unity in diversity possible.

One of the first ways to discuss diversity in an essay is by defining it. Many people consider diversity the mixing of different cultures and people groups into one cohesive group, but is it more? Could it be the attitude of respect and appreciation shown to people in these groups within a community?

Defining diversity is more difficult than you might think depending on your education and background. For an open-ended diversity assignment, explore what this concept means to you and your peer group.

How does diversity impact society as a whole? What does it mean to say modern society is a “melting pot” of different ideas and cultures? In this essay, you can explore how this cultural diversity and the many minority groups within society add their own brand of uniqueness to the world.

This essay can explore the contributions of different cultural and ethnic groups within society as a whole. It can build the argument that diversity is important by exploring the connectivity of the modern world and how different people groups impact one another.

Diversity in the workplace is a topic of much debate. Many organizations offer initiatives and incentives to encourage their branches to hire more minorities and people from smaller groups within the population. This essay topic would explore what types of incentives might work best.

It could also touch on how to incentivize minority hiring without discriminating against those who are not in a minority group. The key would be to create a balanced workforce, not to have anyone group prohibited from getting the job they want.

Diversity in the workplace seems like a worthy goal, but does it have drawbacks? This essay lets you explore potential drawbacks . For example, diversity initiatives cost money to implement, and that can hurt the organization. Similarly, while diverse teams benefit from the different backgrounds of their members, they sometimes do not work as efficiently as teams made up of people who share similar life experiences, viewpoints, or cultures.

Diversity can also create communication issues and cultural misunderstandings. Workplaces may also find it difficult to define diversity in a way that satisfies everyone or meets the unique needs of the different groups of people within a particular business or organization.

Like most things, diversity has both benefits and drawbacks, and you can create an essay that highlights the benefits. Some potential benefits include bringing in people from multiple cultural groups in order to understand the personal experience of those groups and, in turn, reach people from those groups that may be potential customers or clients. Diverse workplaces are also more likely to be innovative, as the different people have diverse backgrounds to contribute to the discussion.

While some organizations find diversity creates less efficiency, others find it improves it. One Changeboard study found that companies with diverse leadership had 57 percent more effectiveness and efficiency in collaboration than those who did not. Find these and other benefits to write about in your diversity essay.

College admissions departments push for diversity, and for good reason. Some of the largest grant-giving organizations in the country will consider diversity when looking at a college’s grant proposals, which means diversity could lead to more funding. But money is just one benefit.

For the students, a diverse student body helps them meet additional people from different walks of life while gaining their college education. For professors, it gives them a richer experience in the classroom and in research because they can probe the cultural ideals of multiple people groups. As you delve more deeply into this topic, you will likely find several additional items you can add to your list to round out your essay.

Sometimes the goal of a diversity essay is to see if you can think critically about your own life experiences and personal identity. This essay prompt invites you to look at a particular aspect of your identities, such as your culture, ethnicity, sexual identity, or something similar, and relate it to your life experiences.

Learn more about how to create a writing prompt .

This essay requires introspection and analytical thinking. It is also highly personal to the writer. You have to be able to connect who you are to what you have experienced and then show how both of those have shaped you as a person.

Communities have groups within them that share things like socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or ideology. Most people are within multiple of these community groups. For this essay, the writer chooses one they identify with and describes how they fit within this group.

Not only will you explain why that group is one they belong to, but you will also explain your place within it. Are you a leader, or a learner? Do you anticipate remaining in this group for life, or is it a passing interest? How has your role within this group defined who you are as a person today, and how will it influence you in the future?

Diversity remains an important topic because racial discrimination still exists, most would argue. While we may not have separate drinking fountains and bathrooms like during the Civil Rights era, racial discrimination still happens. First, this essay establishes how discrimination happens. Then it discusses how that discrimination has changed from past generations to today.

This essay topic has many potential directions, but the point is that diversity has not eliminated discrimination. It takes more subtle forms today, but it still exists. You could also discuss how to fight this problem in your essay if you need a higher word count after discussing the way diversity has changed.

Most people can think of a diverse community they have been part of. It might be a workplace, classroom, or neighborhood. Think about your life experiences and determine what diverse groups have been part of those experiences.

In your essay, describe how the diversity made the group successful. Did the different cultural groups interact? Did they build off of and learn from each other, and how did they support and respect each other? Show that you can value diversity by how you see it valued in your groups.

Socioeconomic status is one of the aspects of diversity that can be part of your essay. If you overcame a particular socio-economic challenge to get to where you are today, you can transform that into an engaging essay.

This essay prompt works well for college entrance essays that look for self-reflection. It allows you to paint yourself as an aggressive and effective worker who is able to overcome adversity to find success. This tenacity can make you more appealing as a student in the university setting.

This essay prompt can work well for employment essays or essays for the college admissions committee. It allows you to show ways your background and culture could add to the diversity of the organization. Even if you are not part of an ethnic minority, you could show how your cultural experiences, ideological views, or even extensive foreign travel can bring something unique to the table for the organization.

This essay topic is particularly important if you are looking to impress someone with your diversity knowledge, even if you do not identify in a specific minority group that the organization targets. You can show how your worldview and culture can be an asset to the organization if they choose to hire or admit you.

Gender inequality, especially in the workplace, remains a problem. One Pew Research Study found that women earn, on average, 84% of what men earn doing the same job. Studying the barriers to gender inequality can turn into a solid essay topic.

With this essay, make sure that you list the problems and discuss potential solutions. Is the lack of maternity leave and childcare hindering women from climbing the corporate ladder as quickly as men, or is it long-held cultural beliefs that keep women back in the workforce? What can be done to address these issues and make gender equality a reality?

Because diversity essays are commonly called for on the college level, this topic idea addresses diversity in college head-on. You will discuss how diversity on college campuses influences students. While many influences will be positive, such as expanding cultural understanding and tolerance, some may be negative, like challenges working on collaborative projects with a person who does not share ideology or cultural background.

Since colleges promote diversity so heavily, you are likely to find primarily positive outcomes for this topic. However, be sure to dig in and consider what could be a drawback, too. Having a balance between the two will show the reader that you can think critically on important topics.

Is it possible to become a more diverse person? The answer to this question depends on how you define diversity. However, through travel to foreign countries and exposure to people groups outside of your comfort zone, you may be able to expand your diversity as an individual, provided you define diversity as the respect and admiration for other cultures.

In this essay, you can evaluate areas where you lack diversity. Then, you can look at ways to add it. This diversity essay gives you the chance to perform self-reflection, which teachers and admissions professionals often want to see.

Ancient traditions are the traditions of cultural groups that are not commonly practiced in modern society. Many cultural groups find these to be anchoring, drawing them back to their culture of origin and reminding them of where they came from. This essay will discuss why supporting and highlighting these ancient traditions is important.

To begin this essay, you will need to define what ancient traditions are. Then, you will need to show how they remain vital in modern society by tying people back to their cultural roots. Finally, you could discuss ways in which ancient cultures and their traditions can benefit modern society as a whole.

Is mass media helping or hurting the individuality of cultures? You could argue either way with this essay. On the one hand, mass media allows us to interact with and learn about cultures we normally would not engage with, and that can have a positive impact on cultural diversity.

On the other hand, mass media can have a melting pot effect, reducing the individuality of cultures by making us all appear as the same. This effect could be a negative effect. In your essay, decide whether the total effect is primarily positive or primarily negative, and then discuss why.

One of the potential challenges of a highly diverse society is the difficulty people have in finding a sense of belonging. We often discover a sense of belonging when we find things in common with the people around us, and there may not be many commonalities with a highly multicultural group.

This essay would explore ways to combat this problem. It will discuss how members of a multicultural community can dig in and find interests in common with other community members, or how they can learn about different cultural groups to gain some common ground.

One of the challenges of diversity is the different communication styles between people groups. Gender differences and cultural differences between individuals mean different ways of relating and communicating. This essay will discuss these differences and the ways that organizations can overcome them.

For example, some cultures find directly stating opinions to be forward, while others expect this. How could a company embrace both communication styles to get things done without people feeling offended due to cultural differences? Exploring questions like these will create a thought-provoking essay.

Having the internet always at one’s fingertips makes connecting with people of other cultures easier, which can lend itself to an essay topic on diversity. With this essay, you can explore whether or not the digital world and its accessibility is helping or hurting cultural diversity. You can then explore ways that organizations can use the digital world to add more diversity within their communities.

One potential drawback of this digital world is that it promotes cultural amalgamation. The distinction between different cultural groups gets blurred. While this can lead to more inclusion, it can also lead to the loss of important parts of these cultures as they all start to merge together.

Is it possible for a highly diverse community to live and operate in unity? Exploring the answer to this question can build a solid essay. If a community has people from many cultural, religious, and social groups, are they able to live in a unified manner?

The answer to this question may depend on how the cultural or religious groups function. If something held dear by one group is against the foundational beliefs of another, then unity may not be possible. On the other hand, if they are just differences that are not in opposition to each other, unity is something that the larger community may be able to achieve, even without giving up those features that make it diverse.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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How diversity makes us smarter, being around people who are different from us makes us more creative, diligent, and hard-working..

The first thing to acknowledge about diversity is that it can be difficult.

In the U.S., where the dialogue of inclusion is relatively advanced, even the mention of the word “diversity” can lead to anxiety and conflict. Supreme Court justices disagree on the virtues of diversity and the means for achieving it. Corporations spend billions of dollars to attract and manage diversity both internally and externally, yet they still face discrimination lawsuits, and the leadership ranks of the business world remain predominantly white and male.

It is reasonable to ask what good diversity does us. Diversity of  expertise confers benefits that are obvious—you would not think of building a new car without engineers, designers, and quality-control experts—but what about social diversity? What good comes from diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation? Research has shown that social diversity in a group can cause discomfort, rougher interactions, a lack of trust, greater perceived interpersonal conflict, lower communication, less cohesion, more concern about disrespect, and other problems. So, what is the upside?

The fact is that if you want to build teams or organizations capable of innovating, you need diversity. Diversity enhances creativity. It encourages the search for novel information and perspectives, leading to better decision making and problem solving. Diversity can improve the bottom line of companies and lead to unfettered discoveries and breakthrough innovations. Even simply being exposed to diversity can change the way you think.

This is not just wishful thinking: It is the conclusion I draw from decades of research from organizational scientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists, and demographers.

Informational diversity fuels innovation

The key to understanding the positive influence of diversity is the concept of informational diversity. When people are brought together to solve problems in groups, they bring different information, opinions, and perspectives.

This makes obvious sense when we talk about diversity of disciplinary backgrounds—think again of the interdisciplinary team building a car. The same logic applies to social diversity. People who are different from one another in race, gender, and other dimensions bring unique information and experiences to bear on the task at hand. A male and a female engineer might have perspectives as different from one another as an engineer and a physicist—and that is a good thing.

“We need diversity if we are to change, grow, and innovate”

Research on large, innovative organizations has shown repeatedly that this is the case.

For example, business professors Cristian Deszö of the University of Maryland and David Ross of Columbia University studied the effect of gender diversity on the top firms in Standard & Poor’s Composite 1500 list, a group designed to reflect the overall U.S. equity market. First, they examined the size and gender composition of firms’ top management teams from 1992 through 2006. Then they looked at the financial performance of the firms. In their words, they found that, on average, “female representation in top management leads to an increase of $42 million in firm value.” They also measured the firms’ “innovation intensity” through the ratio of research and development expenses to assets. They found that companies that prioritized innovation saw greater financial gains when women were part of the top leadership ranks.

Racial diversity can deliver the same kinds of benefits. In a study conducted in 2003, Orlando Richard, a professor of management at the University of Texas at Dallas, and his colleagues surveyed executives at 177 national banks in the U.S., then put together a database comparing financial performance, racial diversity, and the emphasis the bank presidents put on innovation. For innovation-focused banks, increases in racial diversity were clearly related to enhanced financial performance.

Of course, not all studies get the same results. Even those that haven’t found benefits for racially diverse firms suggest that there is certainly no negative financial impact—and there are benefits that may go beyond the short-term bottom line. For example, in a paper published in June of this year , researchers examined the financial performance of firms listed in  DiversityInc ’s list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity. They found the companies on the list did outperform the S&P 500 index—but the positive impact disappeared when researchers accounted for the size of the firms. That doesn’t mean diversity isn’t worth pursuing, conclude the authors:

In an age of increasing globalization, a diverse workforce may provide both tangible and intangible benefits to firms over the long run, including increased adaptability in a changing market. Also, as the United States moves towards the point in which no ethnic majority exists, around 2050, companies’ upper management and lower-level workforce should naturally be expected to reflect more diversity. Consequently, diversity initiatives would likely generate positive reputation effects for firms.

Evidence for the benefits of diversity can be found well beyond the U.S. In August 2012, a team of researchers at the Credit Suisse Research Institute issued a report in which they examined 2,360 companies globally from 2005 to 2011, looking for a relationship between gender diversity on corporate management boards and financial performance. Sure enough, the researchers found that companies with one or more women on the board delivered higher average returns on equity, lower gearing (that is, net debt to equity), and better average growth.

How diversity provokes new thinking

More on diversity.

Read about the meaning and benefits of diversity .

Discover how students benefit from school diversity .

Learn about the neuroscience of prejudice .

Explore the top ten strategies for reducing prejudice .

Large data-set studies have an obvious limitation: They only show that diversity is correlated with better performance, not that it causes better performance. Research on racial diversity in small groups, however, makes it possible to draw some causal conclusions. Again, the findings are clear: For groups that value innovation and new ideas, diversity helps.

In 2006, I set out with Margaret Neale of Stanford University and Gregory Northcraft of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to examine the impact of racial diversity on small decision-making groups in an experiment where sharing information was a requirement for success.

Our subjects were undergraduate students taking business courses at the University of Illinois. We put together three-person groups—some consisting of all white members, others with two whites and one nonwhite member—and had them perform a murder mystery exercise. We made sure that all group members shared a common set of information, but we also gave each member important clues that only they knew. To find out who committed the murder, the group members would have to share all the information they collectively possessed during discussion. The groups with racial diversity significantly outperformed the groups with no racial diversity. Being with similar others leads us to think we all hold the same information and share the same perspective. This perspective, which stopped the all-white groups from effectively processing the information, is what hinders creativity and innovation.

Other researchers have found similar results. In 2004, Anthony Lising Antonio, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, collaborated with five colleagues from the University of California, Los Angeles, and other institutions to examine the influence of racial and opinion composition in small group discussions. More than 350 students from three universities participated in the study. Group members were asked to discuss a prevailing social issue (either child labor practices or the death penalty) for 15 minutes. The researchers wrote dissenting opinions and had both black and white members deliver them to their groups. When a black person presented a dissenting perspective to a group of whites, the perspective was perceived as more novel and led to broader thinking and consideration of alternatives than when a white person introduced  that same dissenting perspective .

The lesson: When we hear dissent from someone who is different from us, it provokes more thought than when it comes from someone who looks like us. It’s a result echoed by a longitudinal study published last year, which tracked the moral development of students on 17 campuses who took a class on diversity in their freshman year. The analysis led the researchers to a robust conclusion: Students who were trained to negotiate diversity from the beginning showed much more sophisticated moral reasoning by the time they graduated. This was especially true for students who entered with lower academic ability.

Active Listening

Connect with a partner through empathy and understanding.

This effect is not limited to race and gender. For example, last year professors of management Denise Lewin Loyd of the University of Illinois, Cynthia Wang of Oklahoma State University, Robert B. Lount, Jr., of Ohio State University, and I asked 186 people whether they identified as a Democrat or a Republican, then had them read a murder mystery and decide who they thought committed the crime. Next, we asked the subjects to prepare for a meeting with another group member by writing an essay communicating their perspective. More important, in all cases, we told the participants that their partner disagreed with their opinion but that they would need to come to an agreement with the other person. Everyone was told to prepare to convince their meeting partner to come around to their side; half of the subjects, however, were told to prepare to make their case to a member of the opposing political party, and half were told to make their case to a member of their own party.

The result: Democrats who were told that a fellow Democrat disagreed with them prepared less well for the discussion than Democrats who were told that a Republican disagreed with them. Republicans showed the same pattern. When disagreement comes from a socially different person, we are prompted to work harder. Diversity jolts us into cognitive action in ways that homogeneity simply does not.

For this reason, diversity appears to lead to higher-quality scientific research.

In 2014, two Harvard University researchers examined the ethnic identity of the authors of 1.5 million scientific papers written between 1985 and 2008 using Thomson Reuters’s Web of Science, a comprehensive database of published research. They found that papers written by diverse groups receive more citations and have higher impact factors than papers written by people from the same ethnic group. Moreover, they found that stronger papers were associated with a greater number of author addresses; geographical diversity, and a larger number of references, is a reflection of more intellectual diversity.

What we believe makes a difference

Diversity is not only about bringing different perspectives to the table. Simply adding social diversity to a group makes people  believe  that differences of perspective might exist among them and that belief makes people change their behavior.

Members of a homogeneous group rest somewhat assured that they will agree with one another; that they will understand one another’s perspectives and beliefs; that they will be able to easily come to a consensus.

But when members of a group notice that they are socially different from one another, they change their expectations. They anticipate differences of opinion and perspective. They assume they will need to work harder to come to a consensus. This logic helps to explain both the upside and the downside of social diversity: People work harder in diverse environments both cognitively and socially. They might not like it, but the hard work can lead to better outcomes.

In a 2006 study of jury decision making, social psychologist Samuel Sommers of Tufts University found that racially diverse groups exchanged a wider range of information during deliberation about a sexual assault case than all-white groups did. In collaboration with judges and jury administrators in a Michigan courtroom, Sommers conducted mock jury trials with a group of real selected jurors. Although the participants knew the mock jury was a court-sponsored experiment, they did not know that the true purpose of the research was to study the impact of racial diversity on jury decision making.

Sommers composed the six-person juries with either all white jurors or four white and two black jurors. As you might expect, the diverse juries were better at considering case facts, made fewer errors recalling relevant information, and displayed a greater openness to discussing the role of race in the case.

These improvements did not necessarily happen because the black jurors brought new information to the group—they happened because white jurors changed their behavior in the presence of the black jurors. In the presence of diversity, they were more diligent and open-minded.

Consider the following scenario: You are a scientist writing up a section of a paper for presentation at an upcoming conference. You are anticipating some disagreement and potential difficulty communicating because your collaborator is American and you are Chinese. Because of one social distinction, you may focus on other differences between yourself and that person, such as their culture, upbringing and experiences—differences that you would not expect from another Chinese collaborator. How do you prepare for the meeting? In all likelihood, you will work harder on explaining your rationale and anticipating alternatives than you would have otherwise—and you might work harder to reconcile those differences.

This is how diversity works : by promoting hard work and creativity; by encouraging the consideration of alternatives even before any interpersonal interaction takes place. The pain associated with diversity can be thought of as the pain of exercise. You have to push yourself to grow your muscles. The pain, as the old saw goes, produces the gain. In just the same way, we need diversity—in teams, organizations, and society as a whole—if we are to change, grow, and innovate.

This essay was originally published in 2014 by Scientific American. It has been revised and updated to include new research.

About the Author

Katherine W. Phillips

Katherine W. Phillips, Ph.D. , is the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics Management at Columbia Business School.

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Cultural Diversity Essay & Community Essay Examples

If you’ve started to research college application requirements for the schools on your list, you might have come across the “cultural diversity essay.” In this guide, we’ll explore the cultural diversity essay in depth. We will compare the cultural diversity essay to the community essay and discuss how to approach these kinds of supplements. We’ll also provide examples of diversity essays and community essay examples. But first, let’s discuss exactly what a cultural diversity essay is. 

The purpose of the cultural diversity essay in college applications is to show the admissions committee what makes you unique. The cultural diversity essay also lets you describe what type of “ diversity ” you would bring to campus.

We’ll also highlight a diversity essay sample for three college applications. These include the Georgetown application essay , Rice application essay , and Williams application essay . We’ll provide examples of diversity essays for each college. Then, for each of these college essays that worked, we will analyze their strengths to help you craft your own essays. 

Finally, we’ll give you some tips on how to write a cultural diversity essay that will make your applications shine. 

But first, let’s explore the types of college essays you might encounter on your college applications. 

Types of College Essays

College application requirements will differ among schools. However, you’ll submit one piece of writing to nearly every school on your list—the personal statement . A strong personal statement can help you stand out in the admissions process. 

So, how do you know what to write about? That depends on the type of college essay included in your college application requirements. 

There are a few main types of college essays that you might encounter in the college admissions process. Theese include the “Why School ” essay, the “Why Major ” essay, and the extracurricular activity essay. This also includes the type of essay we will focus on in this guide—the cultural diversity essay. 

“Why School” essay

The “Why School ” essay is exactly what it sounds like. For this type of college essay, you’ll need to underscore why you want to go to this particular school. 

However, don’t make the mistake of just listing off what you like about the school. Additionally, don’t just reiterate information you can find on their admissions website. Instead, you’ll want to make connections between what the school offers and how you are a great fit for that college community. 

“Why Major” essay

The idea behind the “Why Major ” essay is similar to that of the “Why School ” essay above. However, instead of writing about the school at large, this essay should highlight why you plan to study your chosen major.

There are plenty of directions you could take with this type of essay. For instance, you might describe how you chose this major, what career you plan to pursue upon graduation, or other details.

Extracurricular Activity essay

The extracurricular activity essay asks you to elaborate on one of the activities that you participated in outside of the classroom. 

For this type of college essay, you’ll need to select an extracurricular activity that you pursued while you were in high school. Bonus points if you can tie your extracurricular activity into your future major, career goals, or other extracurricular activities for college. Overall, your extracurricular activity essay should go beyond your activities list. In doing so, it should highlight why your chosen activity matters to you.

Cultural Diversity essay

The cultural diversity essay is your chance to expound upon diversity in all its forms. Before you write your cultural diversity essay, you should ask yourself some key questions. These questions can include: How will you bring diversity to your future college campus? What unique perspective do you bring to the table? 

Another sub-category of the cultural diversity essay is the gender diversity essay. As its name suggests, this essay would center around the author’s gender. This essay would highlight how gender shapes the way the writer understands the world around them. 

Later, we’ll look at examples of diversity essays and other college essays that worked. But before we do, let’s figure out how to identify a cultural diversity essay in the first place. 

How to identify a ‘cultural diversity’ essay

So, you’re wondering how you’ll be able to identify a cultural diversity essay as you review your college application requirements. 

Aside from the major giveaway of having the word “diversity” in the prompt, a cultural diversity essay will ask you to describe what makes you different from other applicants. In other words, what aspects of your unique culture(s) have influenced your perspective and shaped you into who you are today?

Diversity can refer to race, ethnicity, first-generation status, gender, or anything in between. You can write about a myriad of things in a cultural diversity essay. For instance, you might discuss your personal background, identity, values, experiences, or how you’ve overcome challenges in your life. 

However, don’t feel limited in what you can address in a cultural diversity essay. The words “culture” and “diversity” mean different things to different people. Above all, you’ll want your diversity essays for college to be personal and sincere. 

How is a ‘community’ essay different? 

A community essay can also be considered a cultural diversity essay. In fact, you can think of the community essay as a subcategory of the cultural diversity essay. However, there is a key difference between a community essay and a cultural diversity essay, which we will illustrate below. 

You might have already seen some community essay examples while you were researching college application requirements. But how exactly is a community essay different from a cultural diversity essay?

One way to tell the difference between community essay examples and cultural diversity essay examples is by the prompt. A community essay will highlight, well, community . This means it will focus on how your identity will shape your interactions on campus—not just how it informs your own experiences.

Two common forms to look out for

Community essay examples can take two forms. First, you’ll find community essay examples about your past experiences. These let you show the admissions team how you have positively influenced your own community. 

Other community essay examples, however, will focus on the future. These community essay examples will ask you to detail how you will contribute to your future college community. We refer to these as college community essay examples.

In college community essay examples, you’ll see applicants detail how they might interact with their fellow students. These essays may also discuss how students plan to positively contribute to the campus community. 

As we mentioned above, the community essay, along with community essay examples and college community essay examples, fit into the larger category of the cultural diversity essay. Although we do not have specific community essay examples or college community essay examples in this guide, we will continue to highlight the subtle differences between the two. 

Before we continue the discussion of community essay examples and college community essay examples, let’s start with some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts. For each of the cultural diversity essay prompts, we’ll name the institutions that include these diversity essays for college as part of their college application requirements. 

What are some examples of ‘cultural diversity’ essays? 

Now, you have a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the cultural diversity essay and the community essay. So, next, let’s look at some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts.

The prompts below are from the Georgetown application, Rice application, and Williams application, respectively. As we discuss the similarities and differences between prompts, remember the framework we provided above for what constitutes a cultural diversity essay and a community essay. 

Later in this guide, we’ll provide real examples of diversity essays, including Georgetown essay examples, Rice University essay examples, and Williams supplemental essays examples. These are all considered college essays that worked—meaning that the author was accepted into that particular institution. 

Georgetown Supplementals Essays

Later, we’ll look at Georgetown supplemental essay examples. Diversity essays for Georgetown are a product of this prompt: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. 

You might have noticed two keywords in this prompt right away: “diverse” and “community.” These buzzwords indicate that this prompt is a cultural diversity essay. You could even argue that responses to this prompt would result in college community essay examples. After all, the prompt refers to the Georgetown community. 

For this prompt, you’ll want to produce a diversity essay sample that highlights who you are. In order to do that successfully, you’ll need to self-reflect before putting pen to paper. What aspects of your background, personality, or values best describe who you are? How might your presence at Georgetown influence or contribute to their diverse community? 

Additionally, this cultural diversity essay can be personal or creative. So, you have more flexibility with the Georgetown supplemental essays than with other similar diversity essay prompts. Depending on the direction you go, your response to this prompt could be considered a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or a college community essay. 

Rice University Essays

The current Rice acceptance rate is just 9% , making it a highly selective school. Because the Rice acceptance rate is so low, your personal statement and supplemental essays can make a huge difference. 

The Rice University essay examples we’ll provide below are based on this prompt: 

The quality of Rice’s academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective would you contribute to life at Rice? 

Breaking down the prompt.

Like the prompt above, this cultural diversity essay asks about your “life experiences,” “cultural traditions,” and personal “perspectives.” These phrases indicate a cultural diversity essay. Keep in mind this may not be the exact prompt you’ll have to answer in your own Rice application. However, future Rice prompts will likely follow a similar framework as this diversity essay sample.

Although this prompt is not as flexible as the Georgetown prompt, it does let you discuss aspects of Rice’s academic life and Residential College System that appeal to you. You can also highlight how your experiences have influenced your personal perspective. 

The prompt also asks about how you would contribute to life at Rice. So, your response could also fall in line with college community essay examples. Remember, college community essay examples are another sub-category of community essay examples. Successful college community essay examples will illustrate the ways in which students would contribute to their future campus community. 

Williams Supplemental Essays

Like the Rice acceptance rate, the Williams acceptance rate is also 9% . Because the Williams acceptance rate is so low, you’ll want to pay close attention to the Williams supplemental essays examples as you begin the writing process. 

The Williams supplemental essays examples below are based on this prompt: 

Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry – a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives, and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an Entry? What perspective would you add to the conversation with your peer(s)?

Reflecting on the prompt.

Immediately, words like “diverse,” “backgrounds,” “perspectives,” “interests,” and “differentiate” should stand out to you. These keywords highlight the fact that this is a cultural diversity essay. Similar to the Rice essay, this may not be the exact prompt you’ll face on your Williams application. However, we can still learn from it.

Like the Georgetown essay, this prompt requires you to put in some self-reflection before you start writing. What aspects of your background differentiate you from other people? How would these differences impact your interactions with peers? 

This prompt also touches on the “student community” and how you would “add to the conversation with your peer(s).” By extension, any strong responses to this prompt could also be considered as college community essay examples. 

Community Essays

All of the prompts above mention campus community. So, you could argue that they are also examples of community essays. 

Like we mentioned above, you can think of community essays as a subcategory of the cultural diversity essay. If the prompt alludes to the campus community, or if your response is centered on how you would interact within that community, your essay likely falls into the world of college community essay examples. 

Regardless of what you would classify the essay as, all successful essays will be thoughtful, personal, and rich with details. We’ll show you examples of this in our “college essays that worked” section below. 

Which schools require a cultural diversity or community essay? 

Besides Georgetown, Rice, and Williams, many other college applications require a cultural diversity essay or community essay. In fact, from the Ivy League to HBCUs and state schools, the cultural diversity essay is a staple across college applications. 

Although we will not provide a diversity essay sample for each of the colleges below, it is helpful to read the prompts. This will build your familiarity with other college applications that require a cultural diversity essay or community essay. Some schools that require a cultural diversity essay or community essay include New York University , Duke University , Harvard University , Johns Hopkins University , and University of Michigan . 

New York University

NYU listed a cultural diversity essay as part of its 2022-2023 college application requirements. Here is the prompt:

NYU was founded on the belief that a student’s identity should not dictate the ability for them to access higher education. That sense of opportunity for all students, of all backgrounds, remains a part of who we are today and a critical part of what makes us a world class university. Our community embraces diversity, in all its forms, as a cornerstone of the NYU experience. We would like to better understand how your experiences would help us to shape and grow our diverse community.

Duke university.

Duke is well-known for its community essay: 

What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you? If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well.

A top-ranked Ivy League institution, Harvard University also has a cultural diversity essay as part of its college application requirements: 

Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. We welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development, or the intellectual interests you might bring to your Harvard classmates.

Johns hopkins university.

The Johns Hopkins supplement is another example of a cultural diversity essay: 

Founded in the spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests, and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community), and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. 

University of michigan.

The University of Michigan requires a community essay for its application: 

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong and describe that community and your place within it. 

Community essay examples.

The Duke and Michigan prompts are perfect illustrations of community essay examples. However, they have some critical differences. So, if you apply to both of these schools, you’ll have to change the way you approach either of these community essays. 

The Duke prompt asks you to highlight why you are a good match for the Duke community. You’ll also see this prompt in other community essay examples. To write a successful response to this prompt, you’ll need to reference offerings specific to Duke (or whichever college requires this essay). In order to know what to reference, you’ll need to do your research before you start writing. 

Consider the following questions as you write your diversity essay sample if the prompt is similar to Duke University’s

• What values does this college community have? 
• How do these tie in with what you value? 
• Is there something that this college offers that matches your interests, personality, or background?  

On the other hand, the Michigan essay prompt asks you to describe a community that you belong to as well as your place within that community. This is another variation of the prompt for community essay examples. 

To write a successful response to this prompt, you’ll need to identify a community that you belong to. Then, you’ll need to think critically about how you interact with that community. 

Below are some questions to consider as you write your diversity essay sample for colleges like Michigan: 

• Out of all the communities you belong to, which can you highlight in your response? 
• How have you impacted this community? 
• How has this community impacted you?

Now, in the next few sections, we’ll dive into the Georgetown supplemental essay examples, the Rice university essay examples, and the Williams supplemental essays examples. After each diversity essay sample, we’ll include a breakdown of why these are considered college essays that worked. 

Georgetown Essay Examples

As a reminder, the Georgetown essay examples respond to this prompt: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.

Here is the excerpt of the diversity essay sample from our Georgetown essay examples: 

Georgetown University Essay Example

The best thing I ever did was skip eight days of school in a row. Despite the protests of teachers over missed class time, I told them that the world is my classroom. The lessons I remember most are those that took place during my annual family vacation to coastal Maine. That rural world is the most authentic and incredible classroom where learning simply happens and becomes exponential. 

Years ago, as I hunted through the rocks and seaweed for seaglass and mussels, I befriended a Maine local hauling her battered kayak on the shore. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, I had found a kindred spirit in Jeanne. Jeanne is a year-round resident who is more than the hard working, rugged Mainer that meets the eye; reserved and humble in nature, she is a wealth of knowledge and is self-taught through necessity. With thoughtful attention to detail, I engineered a primitive ramp made of driftwood and a pulley system to haul her kayak up the cliff. We diligently figured out complex problems and developed solutions through trial and error.

After running out of conventional materials, I recycled and reimagined items that had washed ashore. We expected to succeed, but were not afraid to fail. Working with Jeanne has been the best classroom in the world; without textbooks or technology, she has made a difference in my life. Whether building a basic irrigation system for her organic garden or installing solar panels to harness the sun’s energy, every project has shown me the value of taking action and making an impact. Each year brings a different project with new excitement and unique challenges. My resourcefulness, problem solving ability, and innovative thinking have advanced under her tutelage. 

While exploring the rocky coast of Maine, I embrace every experience as an unparalleled educational opportunity that transcends any classroom environment. I discovered that firsthand experience and real-world application of science are my best teachers. In school, applications of complex calculations and abstract theories are sometimes obscured by grades and structure. In Maine, I expand my love of science and renourish my curious spirit. I am a highly independent, frugal, resilient Mainer living as a southern girl in NC. 

Why this essay worked

This is one of the Georgetown supplemental essay examples that works, and here’s why. The author starts the essay with an interesting hook, which makes the reader want to learn more about this person and their perspective. 

Throughout the essay, the author illustrates their intellectual curiosity. From befriending Jeanne and creating a pulley system to engineering other projects on the rocky coast of Maine, the author demonstrates how they welcome challenges and work to solve problems. 

Further, the author mentions values that matter to them—taking action and making an impact. Both facets are also part of Georgetown’s core values . By making these connections in their essay, the author shows the admissions committee exactly how they would be a great fit for the Georgetown community. 

Finally, the author uses their experience in Maine to showcase their love of science, which is likely the field they will study at Georgetown. Like this writer, you should try to include most important parts of your identity into your essay. This includes things like life experiences, passions, majors, extracurricular activities for college, and more. 

Rice University Essay Examples

The Rice University essay examples are from this prompt: 

The quality of Rice’s academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective would you contribute to life at Rice? (500-word limit)

Rice university essay example.

Like every applicant, I also have a story to share. A story that makes me who I am and consists of chapters about my life experiences and adventures. Having been born in a different country, my journey to America was one of the most difficult things I had ever experienced. Everything felt different. The atmosphere, the places, the food, and especially the people. Everywhere I looked, I saw something new. Although it was a bit overwhelming, one thing had not changed.

The caring nature of the people was still prevalent in everyday interactions. I was overwhelmed by how supportive and understanding people were of one another. Whether it is race, religion, or culture, everyone was accepted and appreciated. I knew that I could be whoever I wanted to be and that the only limitation was my imagination. Through hard work and persistence I put my all in everything that I did. I get this work ethic from my father since he is living proof that anything can be accomplished with continued determination. Listening to the childhood stories he told me, my dad would reminisce about how he was born in an impoverished area in a third world country during a turbulent and unpredictable time.

Even with a passion for learning, he had to work a laborious job in an attempt to help his parents make ends meet. He talked about how he would study under the street lights when the power went out at home. His parents wanted something better for him, as did he. Not living in America changed nothing about their work ethic. His parents continued to work hard daily, in an attempt to provide for their son. My dad worked and studied countless hours, paying his way through school with jobs and scholarships. His efforts paid off when he finally moved to America and opened his own business. None of it would have been possible without tremendous effort and dedication needed for a better life, values that are instilled within me as well, and this is the perspective that I wish to bring to Rice. 

This diversity essay sample references the author’s unique life experiences and personal perspective, which makes it one example of college essays that worked. The author begins the essay by alluding to their unique story—they were born in a different country and then came to America. Instead of facing this change as a challenge, the author shows how this new experience helped them to feel comfortable with all kinds of people. They also highlight how their diversity was accepted and appreciated. 

Additionally, the author incorporates information about their father’s story, which helps to frame their own values and where those values came from. The values that they chose to highlight also fall in line with the values of the Rice community. 

Williams Supplemental Essay Examples

Let’s read the prompt that inspired so many strong Williams supplemental essays examples again: 

Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry—a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an entry? What perspective(s) would you add to the conversation with your peers?

Williams college essay example.

Through the flow in my head

See you clad in red

But not just the clothes

It’s your whole being

Covering in this sickening blanket

Of heat and pain

Are you in agony, I wonder?

Is this the hell they told me about?

Have we been condemned?

Reduced to nothing but pain

At least we have each other

In our envelopes of crimson

I try in vain

“Take my hands” I shriek

“Let’s protect each other, 

You and me, through this hell”

My body contorts

And deforms into nothingness

You remain the same

Clad in red

With faraway eyes

You, like a statue

Your eyes fixed somewhere else

You never see me

Just the red briefcase in your heart

We aren’t together

It’s always been me alone

While you stand there, aloof, with the briefcase in your heart.

I wrote this poem the day my prayer request for the Uighur Muslims got denied at school. At the time, I was stunned. I was taught to have empathy for those around me. Yet, that empathy disappears when told to extend it to someone different. I can’t comprehend this contradiction and I refuse to. 

At Williams, I hope to become a Community Engagement Fellow at the Davis Center. I hope to use Williams’ support for social justice and advocacy to educate my fellow classmates on social issues around the world. Williams students are not just scholars but also leaders and changemakers. Together, we can strive to better the world through advocacy.

Human’s capability for love is endless. We just need to open our hearts to everyone. 

It’s time to let the briefcase go and look at those around us with our real human eyes.

We see you now. Please forgive us.

As we mentioned above, the Williams acceptance rate is incredibly low. This makes the supplemental essay that much more important. 

This diversity essay sample works because it is personal and memorable. The author chooses to start the essay off with a poem. Which, if done right, will immediately grab the reader’s attention. 

Further, the author contextualizes the poem by explaining the circumstances surrounding it—they wrote it in response to a prayer request that was denied at school. In doing so, they also highlight their own values of empathy and embracing diversity. 

Finally, the author ends their cultural diversity essay by describing what excites them about Williams. They also discuss how they see themselves interacting within the Williams community. This is a key piece of the essay, as it helps the reader understand how the author would be a good fit for Williams. 

The examples provided within this essay also touch on issues that are important to the author, which provides a glimpse into the type of student the author would be on campus. Additionally, this response shows what potential extracurricular activities for college the author might be interested in pursuing while at Williams. 

How to Write a Cultural Diversity Essay

You want your diversity essay to stand out from any other diversity essay sample. But how do you write a successful cultural diversity essay? 

First, consider what pieces of your identity you want to highlight in your essay. Of course, race and ethnicity are important facets of diversity. However, there are plenty of other factors to consider. 

As you brainstorm, think outside the box to figure out what aspects of your identity help make up who you are. Because identity and diversity fall on a spectrum, there is no right or wrong answer here. 

Fit your ideas to the specific school

Once you’ve decided on what you want to represent in your cultural diversity essay, think about how that fits into the college of your choice. Use your cultural diversity essay to make connections to the school. If your college has specific values or programs that align with your identity, then include them in your cultural diversity essay! 

Above all, you should write about something that is important to you. Your cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay will succeed if you are passionate about your topic and willing to get personal. 

Additional Tips for Community & Cultural Diversity Essays

1. Start Early

In order to create the strongest diversity essay possible, you’ll want to start early. Filling out college applications is already a time-consuming process. So, you can cut back on additional stress and anxiety by writing your cultural diversity essay as early as possible. 

2. Brainstorm

Writing a cultural diversity essay or community essay is a personal process. To set yourself up for success, take time to brainstorm and reflect on your topic. Overall, you want your cultural diversity essay to be a good indication of who you are and what makes you a unique applicant. 

3. Proofread

We can’t stress this final tip enough. Be sure to proofread your cultural diversity essay before you hit the submit button. Additionally, you can read your essay aloud to hear how it flows. You can also can ask someone you trust, like your college advisor or a teacher, to help proofread your essay as well.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore

Looking for additional resources on supplemental essays for the colleges we mentioned above? Do you need help with incorporating extracurricular activities for college into your essays or crafting a strong diversity essay sample? We’ve got you covered. 

Our how to get into Georgetown guide covers additional tips on how to approach the supplemental diversity essay. If you’re wondering how to write about community in your essay, check out our campus community article for an insider’s perspective on Williams College.

Want to learn strategies for writing compelling cultural diversity essays? Check out this Q&A webinar, featuring a former Georgetown admissions officer. And, if you’re still unsure of what to highlight in your community essay, try getting inspiration from a virtual college tour . 

Cultural Diversity Essay & Community Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

Your supplemental essays are an important piece of the college application puzzle. With colleges becoming more competitive than ever, you’ll want to do everything you can to create a strong candidate profile. This includes writing well-crafted responses for a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay. 

We hope our cultural diversity essay guide helped you learn more about this common type of supplemental essay. As you are writing your own cultural diversity essay or community essay, use the essay examples from Georgetown, Rice, and Williams above as your guide. 

Getting into top schools takes a lot more than a strong resume. Writing specific, thoughtful, and personal responses for a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay will put you one step closer to maximizing your chances of admission. Good luck!

CollegeAdvisor.com is here to help you with every aspect of the college admissions process. From taking a gap year to completing enrollment , we’re here to help. Register today to receive one-on-one support from an admissions expert as you begin your college application journey.

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May 8, 2023

Celebrating Our Differences: Inspiring Essays on Diversity and Inclusion

Ready to celebrate diversity and inclusion? Discover how to craft an exceptional essay on this important topic with our expert tips and real-world examples. Join us as we explore the power of diversity and its impact on individuals and communities alike.

Imagine yourself walking into a room full of people, each with their own stories to tell. What makes your story stand out? What makes your voice unique? This is the essence of a good diversity essay .

In your essay, you have the opportunity to show the admissions committee how your life experiences have shaped your perspective, identity, and aspirations. Through sharing personal stories, you can paint a picture of who you are and how you will contribute to the vibrant tapestry of the campus community.

Maybe it's growing up in a multicultural household that has taught you to value different perspectives and ways of life. Or, perhaps it's overcoming adversity and facing challenges that have made you a more empathetic and resilient person. Whatever your story may be, your diversity essay is a chance to showcase the richness and depth of your lived experiences.

As you craft your essay, think about how your unique background has informed your actions, beliefs, and goals. Share specific examples and anecdotes that bring your story to life, and make sure to emphasize how you will use your diverse perspective to contribute positively to the campus community. With a well-written diversity essay, you can show the admissions committee that you are more than just a set of grades and test scores - you are a unique and valuable addition to their community.

We have provided a guide as well as some essay examples to assist you in writing your essay about diversity. If you need inspiration for an essay, read them till last. But before we dig into the specifics, a basic understanding of diversity is necessary.

What is Diversity in actuality?

institutions. By recognizing and celebrating the unique experiences, viewpoints, and identities of students from diverse backgrounds, schools can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment that benefits everyone. Through diversity essays, students have the opportunity to showcase the strength of diversity and how it can contribute to the greater community. 

Scholarship options designed for historically underserved communities also demonstrate the importance of diversity in leveling the playing field and creating opportunities for all. Therefore, embracing diversity can lead to a stronger and more vibrant academic community.

What is Inclusion?

Inclusion is the practice of making a place where everyone, despite their differences, is treated with dignity and respect . It's the act of making sure nobody is held back from contributing to a group or community because of their identity or background.

Each person's race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, financial background, ability, religion, and other characteristics are valued and celebrated through the practice of inclusion. It's not enough to just tolerate differences; we need to celebrate them and foster communities where everyone can feel safe and included.

To advance social justice and equity, inclusion is crucial. It allows people from all walks of life to meet one another, learn from one another, and work together towards a shared objective. Positive results for individuals and communities can result from their inclusion in more open, welcoming, and supportive settings.

Step-by-Step guide on how to write an essay on diversity and inclusion

Writing an essay on diversity and inclusion is an important task that requires careful planning and execution. In this step-by-step guide, we will provide you with a roadmap on how to write a compelling essay on this topic.

Here are seven suggestions to consider as you write your diversity statement.

Tell your story

Highlight any challenges you had to overcome while writing an essay. Tell the world about how you used to have to lug two 20-pound sacks of rice uphill to school every day. Recognize your privilege if you were born into affluence. Either way, you can utilize your experience to demonstrate your ability to empathize with kids who struggle to complete their education.

Focus on commonly accepted understandings of diversity and inclusiveness

Issues of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation should be given special attention. Don't try to soften your stance by mentioning, for example, how challenging it is to be a Kansan in Missouri. Write about racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or another form of oppression that is well-known instead.

Avoid false parallels

When writing a diversity essay, it is important to avoid false parallels. False parallels are when two things appear to be similar, but in reality, they are different. To avoid false parallels, you must carefully examine the similarities and differences between the two things you are comparing. This will help you to make accurate and meaningful comparisons, which will ultimately strengthen your diversity essay.

Write about specific things you have done to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed

If you've never helped anybody before, now is the time to start. Become involved as a tutor at a low-performing school, help Habitat for Humanity construct homes, or adopt an antiracist pedagogical approach in your classroom. Not only will you gain valuable experience, but you can also use it to strengthen your diversity statement.

Highlight any programs for underrepresented students you’ve participated in

If you have participated in any programs for underrepresented students, be sure to highlight them in your essay on diversity. This could include programs focused on increasing access to education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, mentorship or internship programs for underrepresented groups, or community service initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion.

By highlighting these programs, you can showcase your commitment to diversity and demonstrate how you have taken active steps to promote equity and inclusion in your community.

Write about your commitment to working toward achieving equity and enhancing diversity

Provide details on what you can bring to the table. You might express your desire to help existing programmes on campus or to start something brand new inspired by what you've seen elsewhere.

Modify your statement based on where you are sending it

When writing an essay on diversity, it's important to tailor your statement to the specific institution or audience you are addressing. Modifying your statement based on where you are sending it shows that you have taken the time to research the institution and understand its values and priorities. This can increase the likelihood of your statement resonating with the reader and ultimately being successful in achieving your goals.

3 Example essays on Diversity and Inclusion

The importance of diversity workforce, introduction.

Workforce diversity is a critical aspect of modern-day organizations. It involves hiring individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, genders, and ages. The concept of workforce diversity is gaining prominence as organizations are increasingly recognizing the benefits of having a diverse workforce. In this essay, we will explore the importance of workforce diversity, the challenges associated with it, and the benefits it offers.

Encourages Innovation and Creativity

Diversity brings together a wide range of perspectives and ideas that can help drive innovation and creativity. When people from diverse backgrounds come together, they can offer different viewpoints and ideas, leading to new solutions to problems.

Enhances Employee Engagement and Retention

Employees who feel included and valued are more engaged and motivated, leading to higher retention rates. When employees feel they belong and are appreciated, they are more likely to stay with the organization, reducing turnover costs.

Increases Global Competitiveness

Diversity in the workforce is crucial for organizations looking to expand globally. Organizations with a diverse workforce are better equipped to understand and navigate the cultural nuances of different countries and regions, making them more competitive in the global marketplace.

Promotes a Positive Image

Organizations that embrace diversity are viewed positively by the public, customers, and employees. A diverse workforce demonstrates that the organization values and respects individuals from all backgrounds, contributing to a positive brand image.

Resistance to Change

Implementing diversity initiatives can be met with resistance, particularly from those who believe that the traditional way of doing things is the best. It is essential to educate and raise awareness about the benefits of diversity to overcome this challenge.

Communication Barriers

When individuals from different backgrounds come together, there may be communication barriers due to language or cultural differences. It is essential to provide training and resources to overcome these barriers and foster effective communication.

Stereotyping and Bias

Stereotyping and bias can negatively impact diversity initiatives. It is essential to establish a culture of inclusivity and respect, where individuals feel valued and appreciated for their unique contributions.

Improved Decision-Making

A diverse workforce can provide a range of perspectives, leading to better decision-making. When individuals with different backgrounds come together, they can offer different viewpoints, leading to a more comprehensive and well-rounded decision-making process.

Increased Creativity and Innovation

Diversity can lead to new ideas and perspectives that can drive innovation and creativity. A diverse workforce can bring together different viewpoints and experiences, leading to new solutions to problems.

Enhanced Reputation

Improved Employee Engagement and Retention

When employees feel included and valued, they are more engaged and motivated, leading to higher retention rates. A diverse workforce can help create a sense of belonging, leading to improved employee engagement and retention.

Workforce diversity is crucial for modern-day organizations. It can lead to improved decision-making, increased creativity and innovation, and enhanced reputation. However, diversity initiatives can be met with resistance, communication barriers, stereotyping, and bias. It is essential to establish a culture of inclusivity and respect, where individuals feel valued and appreciated for their unique contributions. By embracing diversity, organizations can create a more productive, engaged, and innovative workforce.

2. The challenges of diversity in different institutions

Diversity is a term that describes the differences among people, whether they are cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, gender, or sexual orientation differences. While diversity is often celebrated, it can also pose challenges, especially in institutions such as schools, workplaces, and governments. This essay will explore the challenges of diversity in different institutions and how they can be addressed.

Challenges of Diversity in Schools

Schools are meant to be places where students can learn and grow, but diversity can sometimes be a challenge. Students who come from different backgrounds may face discrimination and exclusion from their peers, which can affect their ability to learn and thrive.

Teachers may also struggle to provide a curriculum that is inclusive of all students experiences and perspectives. Addressing these challenges requires a commitment to creating an inclusive environment where all students feel valued and respected.

Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace

Workplaces are becoming increasingly diverse, but this diversity can pose challenges. Employees from different cultural backgrounds may struggle to communicate effectively or may feel excluded from the workplace culture. Discrimination and bias can also be a problem, as can the assumption that everyone shares the same experiences and perspectives. To address these challenges, employers need to be proactive in creating a workplace culture that values diversity and promotes inclusivity. This can involve training and education for employees, as well as policies and procedures that support diversity and inclusion.

Challenges of Diversity in Government

Governments are responsible for serving diverse populations, but this can be a challenge. Members of different cultural and linguistic groups may have different needs and expectations from their government, and some groups may face discrimination or exclusion. 

To address these challenges, governments need to be proactive in engaging with diverse communities and ensuring that their policies and programs are inclusive. This can involve outreach and consultation with community groups, as well as the development of policies that reflect the needs and perspectives of diverse communities.

Ways to Address the Challenges of Diversity

Addressing the challenges of diversity requires a commitment to creating inclusive environments where all individuals feel valued and respected. This can involve several strategies, including education and training, policies and procedures, and community engagement.

Education and training can help individuals better understand the experiences and perspectives of those from different backgrounds. This can involve training programs for employees or professional development opportunities for teachers. It can also involve curriculum changes in schools that better reflect the experiences and perspectives of diverse students.

Policies and procedures can also play a role in promoting diversity and inclusion. This can involve policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment in the workplace or schools. It can also involve policies that promote diversity in hiring or that ensure that government programs and services are inclusive of all members of the community.

Community engagement is also an important strategy for promoting diversity and inclusion. This can involve outreach to community groups and the development of partnerships with organizations that serve diverse communities. It can also involve the creation of advisory committees or other mechanisms for engaging with diverse populations.

In conclusion, diversity is an important aspect of our society, but it can also pose challenges in different institutions. Schools, workplaces, and governments need to be proactive in creating inclusive environments where all individuals feel valued and respected. This requires a commitment to education and training, policies and procedures that promote diversity and inclusion, and community engagement. By addressing the challenges of diversity, we can create a more equitable and inclusive society for all.

3. Ideas on how to Reduce Discrimination in Society

Racial discrimination is a pervasive issue that has plagued society for centuries. It is a problem that continues to affect individuals and communities around the world. Discrimination is an act that denies individuals equal rights, opportunities, and treatment based on their race or ethnicity. The impacts of racism are far-reaching, and it affects individuals' economic, social, and emotional well-being. Therefore, there is a need for collective efforts to reduce racial discrimination and promote social justice. This essay discusses some of the best ways to reduce racial discrimination in society.

Education and Awareness

Education is a powerful tool that can help reduce racial discrimination. Education is essential in teaching individuals about diversity, equity, and inclusion. When people understand the impact of racism, they are more likely to become allies and advocates for change. Education can take many forms, such as books, documentaries, and workshops. 

Institutions can also incorporate cultural competency training into their curriculum to educate students and faculty members about the impact of discrimination. It is essential to recognize the different forms of discrimination, including implicit bias, microaggressions, and institutional racism, to address them appropriately.

Political Action

Political action is another way to reduce racial discrimination in society. Leaders at the local, state, and federal levels can enact policies that promote equality and diversity. Policies such as affirmative action and diversity initiatives can promote inclusion in the workforce and educational institutions. 

Politicians can also pass laws that make racial discrimination illegal and provide support to victims of discrimination. It is essential to recognize that racism is a systemic issue that requires political action to address.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is an important way to reduce racial discrimination. Building strong communities that are inclusive and diverse can help reduce racism. Communities can engage in activities that promote diversity, such as cultural festivals, food fairs, and art exhibits. 

These events can help build bridges between different communities and promote understanding. Community members can also engage in conversations about racism and work together to address it. This can create a sense of belonging and unity that can help reduce discrimination.

Diversity in Institutions

Institutions play a significant role in reducing racial discrimination. Institutions such as schools, businesses, and government agencies can promote diversity by recruiting and retaining individuals from diverse backgrounds. A diverse workforce or student body can help reduce discrimination by promoting inclusion and understanding. 

Institutions can also create policies that promote equality and diversity, such as flexible work arrangements, diversity training, and bias reporting systems. It is important to ensure that institutions are representative of the communities they serve to reduce discrimination.

In conclusion, reducing racial discrimination requires a collective effort from individuals, institutions, and political leaders. Education and awareness, political action, community engagement, and diversity in institutions are all effective ways to address discrimination. It is important to recognize that reducing discrimination is a long-term effort that requires commitment and perseverance. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable society that values diversity and promotes social justice.

Final Words

In conclusion, embracing diversity and inclusion is crucial for creating a more equitable and harmonious society. Whether it's through recognizing and celebrating racial diversity and cultural diversity, fostering a sense of belonging for all individuals, or actively working to combat discrimination and prejudice, we must prioritize these values in all aspects of our lives. By championing diversity and inclusion, we can cultivate a richer, more vibrant world that values the unique perspectives and experiences of all people. By embracing diversity and inclusion, we can build a better future for ourselves and for generations to come.

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5 Essays About Diversity

Many see “diversity” as an empty buzzword. It’s only empty when it isn’t truly engaged with. In basic terms, diversity encompasses traits that make people unique from one another. This includes race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, and more. A “diverse” environment is one where differences are welcomed, respected, and appreciated. Here are five essays that expand on the concept of diversity:

“How Diversity Makes Us Smarter” (2017) – Dr. Katherine W. Phillips

Diversity is a hot topic these days. What are the benefits? In this article, Katherine Phillips explores how diversity fuels innovation, creativity, better problem-solving, and more. Decades of research support this. That doesn’t mean diversity is easy. Research also shows that social diversity within a group can cause discomfort. Communication and trust can be more challenging. It’s still worth it. Phillips compares the painful parts of diversity with the pain of exercise. After a good workout, you may be sore, but continuing to exercise is the only way to strengthen and grow your muscles. Diversity works the same way.

Scientific American originally published this article in 2014. The version on Greater Good Magazine was revised and updated. Dr. Phillips was the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics Management at Columbia Business School. She passed away in January 2020.

“Why Diversity Matters” -Ruchika Tulshyan

Many companies are embracing diversity and inclusion. At the same time, this shift makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Some even argue against diversity. In this essay, Ruchika Tulshyan breaks down why diversity is so valuable to the business world. Prioritizing diversity and inclusion is necessary to draw in – and keep – the best talent. It also results in better products and better customer service. When it’s actively embraced and engaged with, diversity is hard. It’s also important if companies want to evolve and thrive.

Ruchika Tulshyan is the founder of Candour, an inclusion communications and strategy firm. She’s also the author of “The Diversity Advantage: Fixing Gender Inequality in the Workplace.” She’s covered leadership and diversity for Forbes and written pieces for The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Time, and more.

“Diversity in publishing – still hideously middle-class and white?” (2017) – Arifa Akbar

This essay opens on an incident in 2015. The British publishing world was accused of lack of diversity based on literary festivals and prize nominations. Book list after book list came out, all with only white authors. Did they correct the course? Arifa Akbar describes some initiatives that the publishing industry tried. The only way to achieve systemic change, however, is for inclusivity to reach the top. This isn’t for the benefit of authors. Those excluded find smaller presses or even start their own. Traditional publishing needs diversity if it hopes to appeal to the next generation.

Arifa Akbar is the Guardian’s chief theatre critic. She also worked at the Independent for 15 years as a news reporter and then as an arts correspondent and literary editor.

“Diversity in STEM: What It Is and Why It Matters” (2014) – Dr. Kenneth Gibbs Jr.

An older piece from 2014, this article brings up points that are still important today. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a highly-innovative field. It produces research and inventions that touch every part of society. However, when it comes to diversity in this field, there’s disagreement. Kenneth Gibbs Jr. explores what “diversity” means and why it matters in science. Benefits include excellence within research teams and better talent.

Kenneth Gibbs Jr. is a Cancer Prevention Fellow at the National Cancer Institute. He works on policy-relevant research that strengthens the research enterprise. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Postdoctoral Association.

“Does Teacher Diversity Matter in Student Learning?” (2018) – Claire Cain Miller

Diversity within the workplace is much-discussed, but what about the classroom? In this article from the New York Times, Claire Cain Miller takes a closer look at the effects of diversity. Research shows that male students in particular benefit when teachers share their gender or race. Digging deeper into that, black boys are also more affected by poverty and racism. On the other side of things, role models and high-quality schooling have a significant, positive impact. Most teachers today are white women. Research implies that more diverse teachers would benefit a classroom. In the meantime, schools can train their teachers about bias and stereotypes.

Claire Cain Miller joined The Times in 2008. With a team, she won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for public service by reporting on workplace sexual harassment. She writes about families, gender, and the future of work for The Upshot.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

October 1, 2014

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter

Being around people who are different from us makes us more creative, more diligent and harder-working

By Katherine W. Phillips &

Edel Rodriguez

The first thing to acknowledge about diversity is that it can be difficult. In the U.S., where the dialogue of inclusion is relatively advanced, even the mention of the word “diversity” can lead to anxiety and conflict. Supreme Court justices disagree on the virtues of diversity and the means for achieving it. Corporations spend billions of dollars to attract and manage diversity both internally and externally, yet they still face discrimination lawsuits, and the leadership ranks of the business world remain predominantly white and male.

It is reasonable to ask what good diversity does us. Diversity of expertise confers benefits that are obvious—you would not think of building a new car without engineers, designers and quality-control experts—but what about social diversity? What good comes from diversity of race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation? Research has shown that social diversity in a group can cause discomfort, rougher interactions, a lack of trust, greater perceived interpersonal conflict, lower communication, less cohesion, more concern about disrespect, and other problems. So what is the upside?

The fact is that if you want to build teams or organizations capable of innovating, you need diversity. Diversity enhances creativity. It encourages the search for novel information and perspectives, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving. Diversity can improve the bottom line of companies and lead to unfettered discoveries and breakthrough innovations. Even simply being exposed to diversity can change the way you think. This is not just wishful thinking: it is the conclusion I draw from decades of research from organizational scientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists and demographers.

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Information and Innovation

The key to understanding the positive influence of diversity is the concept of informational diversity. When people are brought together to solve problems in groups, they bring different information, opinions and perspectives. This makes obvious sense when we talk about diversity of disciplinary backgrounds—think again of the interdisciplinary team building a car. The same logic applies to social diversity. People who are different from one another in race, gender and other dimensions bring unique information and experiences to bear on the task at hand. A male and a female engineer might have perspectives as different from each other as an engineer and a physicist—and that is a good thing.

Research on large, innovative organizations has shown repeatedly that this is the case. For example, business professors Cristian Dezsö of the University of Maryland and David Gaddis Ross of the University of Florida studied the effect of gender diversity on the top firms in Standard & Poor’s Composite 1500 list, a group designed to reflect the overall U.S. equity market. First, they examined the size and gender composition of firms’ top management teams from 1992 through 2006. Then they looked at the financial performance of the firms. In their words, they found that, on average, “female representation in top management leads to an increase of $42 million in firm value.” They also measured the firms’ “innovation intensity” through the ratio of research and development expenses to assets. They found that companies that prioritized innovation saw greater financial gains when women were part of the top leadership ranks.

Racial diversity can deliver the same kinds of benefits. In a study conducted in 2003, Orlando Richard, now at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and his colleagues surveyed executives at 177 national banks in the U.S., then put together a database comparing financial performance, racial diversity and the emphasis the bank presidents put on innovation. For innovation-focused banks, increases in racial diversity were clearly related to enhanced financial performance.

Evidence for the benefits of diversity can be found well beyond the U.S. In August 2012 a team of researchers at the Credit Suisse Research Institute issued a report in which they examined 2,360 companies globally from 2005 to 2011, looking for a relation between gender diversity on corporate management boards and financial performance. Sure enough, the researchers found that companies with one or more women on the board delivered higher average returns on equity, lower gearing (that is, net debt to equity) and better average growth.

How Diversity Provokes Thought

Large data-set studies have an obvious limitation: they can show only that diversity is correlated with better performance, not that it causes better performance. Research on racial diversity in small groups, however, makes it possible to draw some causal conclusions. Again, the findings are clear: for groups that value innovation and new ideas, diversity helps.

In 2006 Margaret Neale of Stanford University, Gregory Northcraft of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and I set out to examine the impact of racial diversity on small decision-making groups in an experiment where sharing information was a requirement for success. Our subjects were undergraduate students taking business courses at the University of Illinois. We put together three-person groups—some consisting of all white members, others with two white members and one nonwhite member—and had them perform a murder mystery exercise. We made sure that all group members shared a common set of information, but we also gave each member important clues that only he or she knew. To find out who committed the murder, the group members would have to share all the information they collectively possessed during discussion. The groups with racial diversity significantly outperformed the groups with no racial diversity. Being with similar others leads us to think we all hold the same information and share the same perspective. This perspective, which stopped the all-white groups from effectively processing the information, is what hinders creativity and innovation.

Credit: Edel Rodriguez

Other researchers have found similar results. In 2004 Anthony Lising Antonio, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, collaborated with five colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles, and other institutions to examine the influence of racial and opinion composition in small group discussions. More than 350 students from three universities participated in the study. Group members were asked to discuss a prevailing social issue (either child labor practices or the death penalty) for 15 minutes. The researchers wrote dissenting opinions and had both Black and white members deliver them to their groups. When a Black person presented a dissenting perspective to a group of white people, the perspective was perceived as more novel and led to broader thinking and consideration of alternatives than when a white person introduced that same dissenting perspective . The lesson: when we hear dissent from someone who is different from us, it provokes more thought than when it comes from someone who looks like us.

This effect is not limited to race. For example, in 2013 professors of management Denise Lewin Loyd of the University of Illinois, Cynthia Wang of Northwestern University, Robert B. Lount, Jr., of the Ohio State University and I asked 186 people whether they identified as a Democrat or a Republican, then had them read a murder mystery and decide who they thought committed the crime. Next, we asked the subjects to prepare for a meeting with another group member by writing an essay communicating their perspective. More important, in all cases, we told the participants that their partner disagreed with their opinion but that they would need to come to an agreement with the other person. Everyone was told to prepare to convince their meeting partner to come around to their side; half of the subjects, however, were told to prepare to make their case to a member of the opposing political party, and half were told to make their case to a member of their own party.

The result: Democrats who were told that a fellow Democrat disagreed with them prepared less well for the discussion than Democrats who were told that a Republican disagreed with them. Republicans showed the same pattern. When disagreement comes from a socially different person, we are prompted to work harder. Diversity jolts us into cognitive action in ways that homogeneity simply does not.

For this reason, diversity appears to lead to higher-quality scientific research. In 2014 Richard Freeman, an economics professor at Harvard University and director of the Science and Engineering Workforce Project at the National Bureau of Economic Research, along with Wei Huang, then a Harvard economics Ph.D. candidate, examined the ethnic identity of the authors of 1.5 million scientific papers written between 1985 and 2008 using Thomson Reuters’s Web of Science, a comprehensive database of published research. They found that papers written by diverse groups receive more citations and have higher impact factors than papers written by people from the same ethnic group. Moreover, they found that stronger papers are associated with greater numbers of not only references but also author addresses—geographical diversity is a reflection of more intellectual diversity.

The Power of Anticipation

Diversity is not only about bringing different perspectives to the table. Simply adding social diversity to a group makes people believe that differences of perspective might exist among them, and that belief makes people change their behavior.

Members of a homogeneous group rest somewhat assured that they will agree with one another, understand one another’s perspectives and beliefs, and be able to easily come to a consensus. But when members of a group notice that they are socially different from one another, they change their expectations. They anticipate differences of opinion and perspective. They assume they will need to work harder to come to a consensus. This logic helps to explain both the upside and the downside of social diversity: people work harder in diverse environments both cognitively and socially. They might not like it, but the hard work can lead to better outcomes.

In a 2006 study of jury decision-making, social psychologist Samuel Sommers of Tufts University found that racially diverse groups exchanged a wider range of information during deliberation about a sexual assault case than all-white groups did. In collaboration with judges and jury administrators in a Michigan courtroom, Sommers conducted mock jury trials with a group of real selected jurors. Although the participants knew the mock jury was a court-sponsored experiment, they did not know that the true purpose of the research was to study the impact of racial diversity on jury decision-making.

Sommers composed the six-person juries with either all white jurors or four white and two Black jurors. As you might expect, the diverse juries were better at considering case facts, made fewer errors recalling relevant information and displayed a greater openness to discussing the role of race in the case. These improvements did not necessarily happen because the Black jurors brought new information to the group—they happened because white jurors changed their behavior in the presence of the Black jurors. In the presence of diversity, they were more diligent and open-minded.

Group Exercise

Consider the following scenario: You are writing up a section of a paper for presentation at an upcoming conference. You are anticipating some disagreement and potential difficulty communicating because your collaborator is American and you are Chinese. Because of one social distinction, you may focus on other differences between yourself and that person, such as their culture, upbringing and experiences—differences that you would not expect from another Chinese collaborator. How do you prepare for the meeting? In all likelihood, you will work harder on explaining your rationale and anticipating alternatives than you would have otherwise.

This is how diversity works: by promoting hard work and creativity; by encouraging the consideration of alternatives even before any interpersonal interaction takes place. The pain associated with diversity can be thought of as the pain of exercise. You have to push yourself to grow your muscles. The pain, as the old saw goes, produces the gain. In just the same way, we need diversity—in teams, organizations and society as a whole—if we are to change, grow and innovate.

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May 11, 2023

Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

What is the diversity question in a school application, and why does it matter when applying to leading programs and universities? Most importantly, how should you respond?

Diversity is of supreme value in higher education, and schools want to know how every student will contribute to it in their community. A diversity essay is an essay that encourages applicants with disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds, an unusual education, a distinctive experience, or a unique family history to write about how these elements of their background have prepared them to play a useful role in increasing and encouraging diversity among their target program’s student body and broader community.

In this post, we’ll cover the following topics: 

How to show you can add to diversity

Why diversity matters at school, seven examples that reveal diversity, how to write about your diversity, diversity essay example, want to ensure your application demonstrates the diversity that your dream school is seeking.

If you are an immigrant to the United States, the child of immigrants, or someone whose ethnicity is underrepresented in the States, your response to “How will you add to the diversity of our class/community?” and similar questions might help your application efforts. Why? Because you can use it to show how your background will add a distinctive perspective to the program you are applying to.

Download this sample personal background essay, and see how one candidate won over the adcom and got accepted into their top-choice MBA program.

Of course, if you’re not from a group that is underrepresented in your field or a disadvantaged group, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have anything to write about in a diversity essay.

For example, you might have an unusual or special experience to share, such as serving in the military, being a member of a dance troupe, or caring for a disabled relative. These and other distinctive experiences can convey how you will contribute to the diversity of the school’s campus.

You could be the first member of your family to apply to college or the first to learn English in your household. Perhaps you have worked your way through college or helped raise your siblings. You might also have been an ally to those who are underrepresented, disadvantaged, or marginalized in your community, at your previous school, or in an earlier work experience. 

As you can see, diversity is not limited to one’s religion, ethnicity, culture, language, or sexual orientation. It refers to whatever element of your identity  distinguishes you from others and shows that you, too, value diversity.

Admissions officers believe diversity in the classroom improves the educational experience of all the students involved. They also believe that having a diverse workforce better serves society as a whole.

The more diverse perspectives found in the classroom, throughout the dorms, in the dining halls, and mixed into study groups, the richer the discussions will be.

Plus, learning and growing in this kind of multicultural environment will prepare students for working in our increasingly multicultural and global world.

In medicine, for example, a heterogeneous workforce benefits people from previously underrepresented cultures. Businesses realize they will market more effectively if they can speak to different audiences and markets, which is possible when members of their workforce come from different backgrounds and cultures. Schools simply want to prepare graduates for the 21st century job market.

Adcoms want to know about your personal diversity elements and the way they have helped you develop particular character and personality traits , as well as the unusual experiences that have shaped you.

Here are seven examples an applicant could write about:

• They grew up with a strong insistence on respecting elders, attending family events, or learning their parents’ native language and culture.
• They are close to grandparents and extended family members who have taught them how teamwork can help everyone thrive.
• They have had to face difficulties that stem from their parents’ values being in conflict with theirs or those of their peers.
• Teachers have not always understood the elements of their culture or lifestyle and how those elements influence their performance.
• They suffered from discrimination and succeeded despite it because of their grit, values, and character.
• They learned skills from a lifestyle that is outside the norm (e.g., living in foreign countries as the child of a diplomat or contractor; performing professionally in theater, dance, music, or sports; having a deaf sibling).
• They’ve encountered racism or other prejudice (either toward themselves or others) and responded by actively promoting diverse, tolerant values.

And remember, it’s not just about who your parents are. It’s about who you are – at the core.

Your background, influences, religious observances, language, ideas, work environment, community experiences – all these factors come together to create a unique individual, one who will contribute to a varied class of distinct individuals taking their place in a diverse world.

Your answer to the diversity question should focus on how your experiences have built your empathy for others, your embrace of differences, your resilience, your character, and your perspective.

The school might well ask how you think of diversity or how you can bring or add to the diversity of your school, chosen profession, or community. Make sure you answer the specific question posed by highlighting distinctive elements of your profile that will add to the class mosaic every adcom is trying to create. You don’t want to blend in; you want to stand out in a positive way while also complementing the school’s canvas.

Here’s a simple, three-part framework that will help you think of diversity more, well, diversely:

• Identity : Who are you? What has contributed to your identity? How do you distinguish yourself? Your identity can include any of the following: gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion, nontraditional work experience, nontraditional educational background, multicultural background, and family’s educational level.
• Deeds : What have you done? What have you accomplished? This could include any of the following: achievements inside and/or outside your field of study, leadership opportunities, community service, , internship or professional experience, research opportunities, hobbies, and travel. Any or all of these could be unique. Also, what life-derailing, throw-you-for-a-loop challenges have you faced and overcome?
• Ideas : How do you think? How do you approach things? What drives you? What influences you? Are you the person who can break up a tense meeting with some well-timed humor? Are you the one who intuitively sees how to bring people together? 

Learn more about this three-part framework in this podcast episode.

Think about each question within this framework and how you could apply your diversity elements to the classroom, your school, or your community. Any of these elements will serve as the framework for your essay.

Don’t worry if you can’t think of something totally “out there.” You don’t need to be a tightrope walker living in the Andes or a Buddhist monk from Japan to pass the diversity test!

And please remember, the examples I have listed are not exhaustive. There are many other ways to show diversity!

All you need to write successfully about how you will contribute to the rich diversity of your target school’s community is to examine your identity, deeds, and ideas, with an eye toward your personal distinctiveness and individuality. There is only one you .

Want our advice on how you can best show diversity?

Click here to sign up for a free consultation.

Take a look at this sample diversity essay, and pay attention to how the writer underscores their appreciation for and experience with diversity. 

When I was starting 11 th grade, my dad, an agricultural scientist, was assigned to a 3-month research project in a farm village in Niigata (northwest Honshu in Japan). Rather than stay behind with my mom and siblings, I begged to go with him. As a straight-A student, I convinced my parents and the principal that I could handle my schoolwork remotely (pre-COVID) for that stretch. It was time to leap beyond my comfortable suburban Wisconsin life—and my Western orientation, reinforced by travel to Europe the year before. 

We roomed in a sprawling farmhouse with a family participating in my dad’s study. I thought I’d experience an “English-free zone,” but the high school students all studied and wanted to practice English, so I did meet peers even though I didn’t attend their school. Of the many eye-opening, influential, cultural experiences, the one that resonates most powerfully to me is experiencing their community. It was a living, organic whole. Elementary school kids spent time helping with the rice harvest. People who foraged for seasonal wild edibles gave them to acquaintances throughout the town. In fact, there was a constant sharing of food among residents—garden veggies carried in straw baskets, fish or meat in coolers. The pharmacist would drive prescriptions to people who couldn’t easily get out—new mothers, the elderly—not as a business service but as a good neighbor. If rain suddenly threatened, neighbors would bring in each other’s drying laundry. When an empty-nest 50-year-old woman had to be hospitalized suddenly for a near-fatal snakebite, neighbors maintained her veggie patch until she returned. The community embodied constant awareness of others’ needs and circumstances. The community flowed!

Yet, people there lamented that this lifestyle was vanishing; more young people left than stayed or came. And it wasn’t idyllic: I heard about ubiquitous gossip, long-standing personal enmities, busybody-ness. But these very human foibles didn’t dam the flow. This dynamic community organism couldn’t have been more different from my suburban life back home, with its insular nuclear families. We nod hello to neighbors in passing. 

This wonderful experience contained a personal challenge. Blond and blue-eyed, I became “the other” for the first time. Except for my dad, I saw no Westerner there. Curious eyes followed me. Stepping into a market or walking down the street, I drew gazes. People swiftly looked away if they accidentally caught my eye. It was not at all hostile, I knew, but I felt like an object. I began making extra sure to appear “presentable” before going outside. The sense of being watched sometimes generated mild stress or resentment. Returning to my lovely tatami room, I would decompress, grateful to be alone. I realized this challenge was a minute fraction of what others experience in my own country. The toll that feeling—and being— “other” takes on non-white and visibly different people in the US can be extremely painful. Experiencing it firsthand, albeit briefly, benignly, and in relative comfort, I got it.

Unlike the organic Niigata community, work teams, and the workplace itself, have externally driven purposes. Within this different environment, I will strive to exemplify the ongoing mutual awareness that fueled the community life in Niigata. Does it benefit the bottom line, improve the results? I don’t know. But it helps me be the mature, engaged person I want to be, and to appreciate the individuals who are my colleagues and who comprise my professional community. I am now far more conscious of people feeling their “otherness”—even when it’s not in response to negative treatment, it can arise simply from awareness of being in some way different.

What did you think of this essay? Does this middle class Midwesterner have the unique experience of being different from the surrounding majority, something she had not experienced in the United States? Did she encounter diversity from the perspective of “the other”? 

Here a few things to note about why this diversity essay works so well:

• The writer comes from “a comfortable, suburban, Wisconsin life,” suggesting that her own background might not be ethnically, racially, or in other ways diverse.
• The diversity “points” scored all come from her fascinating  experience of having lived in a Japanese farm village, where she immersed herself in a totally different culture.
• The lessons learned about the meaning of community are what broaden and deepen the writer’s perspective about life, about a purpose-driven life, and about the concept of “otherness.” 

By writing about a time when you experienced diversity in one of its many forms, you can write a memorable and meaningful diversity essay.

Working on your diversity essay?

Want to ensure that your application demonstrates the diversity that your dream school is seeking? Work with one of our admissions experts and . This checklist includes more than 30 different ways to think about diversity to jump-start your creative engines.

Related Resources:

•  Different Dimensions of Diversity , a podcast episode • What to Do if You Belong to an Overrepresented Applicant Group • Med School Admissions Advice for Nontraditional Applicants: The Experts Speak

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Understanding Cultural Diversity and Diverse Identities

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Lin, C. (2019). Understanding Cultural Diversity and Diverse Identities. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Quality Education. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69902-8_37-1

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Diversity Society Essay

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Cultural Diversity in Modern Society

Culture is a concept that could be hard to understand, let alone measure, sometimes. As we go through with our lives, we meet a wide variety of very different people who carry very different experiences. Sometimes, these people’s worldviews and opinion may vary wildly from what we are used to. In this case, everyone needs to remember that mutual respect is a basic concept every human should employ when interacting with others.

An example of a group of people who are different from me is generation Z or Zoomers, as I myself am a Millennial. Often, I can see that our opinions on some important matters such as environment protection, veganism or queer theory are, in fact, quite different. This becomes a cause for discussions which can quickly turn into conflicts and outright hostility from both sides, which I am not proud of. As a result of these conflicts, I have been called insensitive and blamed for not caring for environment or for being a consumer of animal suffering. Zoomers tend to accuse the people who do not support veganism of paying for cruelty towards animals, as well as they often try to scorn the queer theory and deny the existence of transgender people. I, personally, have been shamed for liking meat, and when I tried to point out veganism’s flaws, I have met aggression and ignorance. I cannot say that I am entirely right in my opinions – in fact, I understand that I am biased – however, I think that no one should be accused of cruelty for eating meat. Moreover, I am also firmly convinced that transgender rights are human rights, and will continue to defend my stand on it.

My expectations now that I know that young people can be not so open about other people’s worldviews have not really changed. In my opinion, humankind always has something to argue about, and the conflicts are a part of our nature. Moreover, truth is often revealed in discussion, and a healthy debate is always welcome when it comes to differences in views. I think my main accountability here is to ensure I am civil and respectful in interactions with other people, even when the issue is sensitive to me or when I am met with aggression. As an adult, I must strive to be open to hearing all arguments to my opinion and refrain from insults, accusations, and victim blaming.

Cultural communication in the modern world is becoming more dynamic and international. Intercultural relations of today presuppose equality of local cultures as opposed to the global unification of culture. Moreover, intercultural communication leads to the enrichment of the national cultures of different regions and countries of the world. The processes of international cultural exchange, of cultural diversity are the basis for the development of civilization, an indispensable condition for movement along the path to progress. Metaxa and Ely (2020) emphasize that “in these multicultural societies of today, people value different things, believe in different authorities, follow different customs” (p. 49). Culture forms systems of reference points for a person, people, nation, civilization, which allows you to determine your place in the world and identify yourself with a particular community. Cultural ties are a constant component of communication between peoples and the ability to convey the originality and aesthetic diversity of your culture is precious to me.

I think that today, it is more important than ever to support cultural pluralism, to protect racial, religious, and linguistic identity of every human. According to Stuart and Ward (2018), “the willingness to engage in integration processes, as opposed to segregation or assimilation, is predicated on the beliefs that diversity is a valuable resource and should be accommodated” (p. 5). The most important question in this regard: what within the world can unite representatives of different cultures? Is it just the inevitability of coexistence within a limited environment or is there a certain internationalism of our planet as a whole? I think that the answer is both – we live and develop together, and thus we should strive for cultural diversity to ensure that we see the world from as many perspectives as possible.

Multiculturalism is, in its essence, a driving force that brings together the differences that make us who we are, and tries to establish peace between many variables of human nature. The multitude of aspects in which lies the self-identification of any group that is bound by its own set of rules, practices, rituals and historical legacy, contains the concept of a culture as we know it. In an ever-going globalization of the world, a person is constantly at the border of many cultures, be it because of their birth and growing up circumstances, travelling, or family setting. Flache (2018) states that “cultural differences continue to remain in many realms of human life, for example, in the form of technological boundaries” (p. 996). A human’s identity is shaped by the cultural experiences they have had, and each of us can represent many different cultures at once.

I think that in order to successfully integrate multiple cultures into one’s identity – and by successfully I mean to be able to share and take pride in them – one needs to understand the impact of each culture. To know and recognize how a cultural experience influences one’s perception of themselves and their life, is, in my opinion, what a person can do to make the multicultural integration as fruitful as possible.

The cultural diversity of different nations and intercultural communication between them is expressed in certain places or events. While each ethnic group celebrates only its own holidays, speaks only its own language, there is no interaction. When people of varied nations are offered an opportunity to tell about their culture, share knowledge, language, customs and holidays, and educate others, then interaction begins. This is the basis of cultural diversity, in my opinion – the willingness to share your cultural legacy with the world, and not hide it only for your own people to see.

When choosing an active life position, a strategy that meets the needs of a modern dynamic, rapidly developing social reality, the individual is more likely to achieve a sense of identity integrity. The open-mindedness allows us to navigate in the surrounding reality and comprehend ourselves from different social positions. If the passive path is chosen, then problems may arise in the formation of a harmonious identity. As a result, a lack of coherence can make it difficult to take full advantage of the opportunities that modern society presents to individuals. Thus, it is crucial for every person to develop their understanding of cultural diversity in order to become a versatile individual.

Flache, A. (2018). Between monoculture and cultural polarization: Agent-based models of the interplay of social influence and cultural diversity. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory , 25 (4), 996–1023. Web.

Metaxa, V., & Ely, E. W. (2020). Cultural diversity. Compelling Ethical Challenges in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine , 49–55. Web.

Stuart, J., & Ward, C. (2018). Exploring everyday experiences of cultural diversity: The construction, validation, and application of the normative multiculturalism scale. European Journal of Social Psychology , 49 (2), 313–332. Web.

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Essay on Diversity

Students are often asked to write an essay on Diversity in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Diversity

Understanding diversity.

Diversity means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.

Importance of Diversity

Diversity is important because it exposes us to unique perspectives and ideas. It fosters creativity and innovation. It helps us understand and respect people who are different from us.

Diversity in Schools

In schools, diversity can create a rich environment for learning. Interacting with students from different backgrounds can help children develop a broad worldview.

Also check:

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250 Words Essay on Diversity

Introduction.

Diversity is the beautiful tapestry of distinct identities, perspectives, and experiences that individuals bring to a shared space. It is a multifaceted concept that transcends race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation, encompassing a broad spectrum of individual and group differences.

The Importance of Diversity

Diversity enriches our social interactions and intellectual discourse. It fosters creativity and innovation by bringing together a multitude of perspectives, leading to robust problem-solving and decision-making. It is the catalyst for empathy, understanding, and social cohesion, dismantling barriers and fostering a more inclusive society.

Diversity in Academia

In academic settings, diversity enhances the learning experience by exposing students to different viewpoints, encouraging critical thinking, and preparing them for a globalized workforce. It also promotes social justice by ensuring equal opportunities for all, irrespective of their backgrounds.

Challenges and Solutions

Despite its benefits, diversity presents certain challenges such as prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping. To overcome these, it is essential to cultivate an environment of respect, openness, and inclusivity. Education and awareness programs can play a pivotal role in combating biases and fostering a culture of acceptance.

In conclusion, diversity is a powerful tool that enriches our lives and societies. Embracing it is not merely an ethical imperative but also a necessity for progress and prosperity. As we navigate through the 21st century, let us celebrate diversity in all its forms and strive to create a world where everyone feels valued and included.

500 Words Essay on Diversity

Introduction to diversity.

Diversity, a term frequently used in contemporary discourse, is a multifaceted concept that transcends mere racial or ethnic differences. It encompasses a broad spectrum of individual and group differences, including gender, age, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, education, and more. Understanding and embracing diversity is crucial in our increasingly interconnected and globalized world.

The significance of diversity can be examined from several perspectives. From a sociological viewpoint, diversity fosters cultural competence, empathy, and mutual respect among individuals. It challenges preconceived notions and prejudices, thereby promoting personal growth and development.

In the professional sphere, diversity is instrumental in driving innovation and creativity. Diverse teams bring together a multitude of perspectives, ideas, and experiences, leading to more comprehensive problem-solving and decision-making processes. Moreover, companies that prioritize diversity are more likely to attract and retain top talent, thereby gaining a competitive edge in the market.

Challenges of Diversity

Despite its numerous benefits, diversity is not without its challenges. Misunderstandings and conflicts can arise due to cultural, linguistic, or ideological differences. Moreover, diversity can lead to feelings of discomfort or alienation among individuals who feel they are in the minority.

However, these challenges are not insurmountable. Through education, open dialogue, and proactive policies, we can create environments that not only tolerate diversity but actively celebrate it.

Diversity and Inclusion

While diversity refers to the presence of differences within a group, inclusion pertains to how these differences are integrated and valued. An inclusive environment is one where all individuals feel respected, valued, and able to fully participate.

Inclusion is the key to unlocking the true potential of diversity. Without inclusion, diversity can become mere tokenism, where differences are merely tolerated rather than embraced. Hence, efforts towards diversity should always be accompanied by a commitment to inclusion.

The Future of Diversity

As our society continues to evolve, so too does our understanding of diversity. In the future, we may need to consider new dimensions of diversity, such as neurodiversity and digital diversity.

Moreover, as we become more interconnected, we will need to navigate diversity on a global scale. This will require a deep understanding of different cultures, traditions, and worldviews, as well as the ability to communicate effectively across these differences.

In conclusion, diversity is a complex and dynamic concept that holds immense potential for personal, professional, and societal growth. By embracing diversity and fostering inclusion, we can create a more innovative, empathetic, and harmonious society. As we look towards the future, let us continue to broaden our understanding of diversity and deepen our commitment to inclusion.

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Benefits Of Diversity In Society

There is no single answer to the question of what diversity means for society. However, diversity can be thought of as both a source of strength and a source of challenge.

On the one hand, diversity can be seen as a source of strength for society. This is because diversity can provide a richness of experience and perspective that can lead to greater creativity and innovation. Additionally, diversity can play an important role in promoting social cohesion by helping to build bridges between different groups within society.

On the other hand, diversity can also be seen as a source of challenge for society. This is because diversity can sometimes lead to tension and conflict between different groups within society. Additionally, managing diversity effectively can be a complex and challenging task for both individuals and organizations.

The world has confronted numerous challenges when it comes to diversity, but it hasn’t always been embraced and regarded as wonderful. There have been many efforts over time to alter this and ensure that everyone is treated equally and as a whole.

Society has progressed a lot when it comes to diversity, but there’s still room for improvement. One of the main benefits of diversity is that it creates a more interesting and well-rounded society. When people of different backgrounds and experiences come together, they can create something special that wouldn’t be possible if everyone was the same. Diversity brings out the best in people and helps to create a more vibrant and exciting world.

Another benefit of diversity is that it can help to improve understanding and tolerance between different groups of people. By getting to know people from different cultures and backgrounds, we can learn to appreciate their differences and start to see them as equals. This can lead to a more peaceful and harmonious world.

Finally, diversity can have economic benefits for society as a whole. When people from different cultures mix, they can bring new ideas and perspectives that can help to drive innovation and economic growth. diversity can also help to attract tourists and investors to a country or region, which can boost the local economy.

So overall, diversity has many advantages and benefits for society. It makes our world more interesting and exciting, it helps us to understand and tolerate each other better, and it can even have positive economic impacts. Let’s continue to celebrate diversity in all its forms.

Though diversity was once seen in a negative light, society has since shifted its perspective. In fact, diversity has helped improve our culture tremendously – though we still have some room to grow. People are becoming more open-minded and accepting, which comes with an array of benefits.

Some benefits of diversity in society are that it can help create a more tolerant society, can lead to new and innovative ideas, can help businesses prosper, and can add to the strength of communities.

A more tolerant society is one that is more accepting of others who may be different from them. This is important because it helps to create a more inclusive environment for everyone. It also helps to reduce prejudice and bigotry.

New and innovative ideas are often the result of diversity. When people from different backgrounds come together, they often bring with them new perspectives. This can lead to new and better ways of doing things.

Businesses often prosper when there is diversity within them. This is because different perspectives can help to identify opportunities that may have been missed by those who are more homogeneous. Diversity can also help to improve communication and problem-solving within businesses.

A more culturally diverse society is beneficial to everyone. In this paper, I will give my thoughts and opinions on the arguments surrounding cultural diversity. By backing up my claims with quotes and research from articles, I hope to show why diversity is essential for innovation.

The first, and most obvious reason diversity is important, is because it simply makes good business sense. A report by the Boston Consulting Group found that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.

“Diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also the smart thing to do for business,” said John Hunsucker, CEO of The Center for Workforce Inclusion. “When you have diversity of thought and experience around the table, better decisions are made. Companies with diverse workforces outperform those without diversity by almost every metric imaginable.”

A study by researchers at the University of Michigan found that diversity can lead to increased creativity and innovation. The study found that people from different cultures are more likely to come up with original ideas, because they’re not as influenced by “group think.”

Diversity can also help companies tap into new markets. For example, if a company’s workforce is diverse, they may be able to better understand and connect with diverse customer groups.

There are many other reasons why diversity is important, but these are some of the most important ones from a business perspective. It’s clear that diversity is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes good business sense.

Some people may argue that diversity is important for other reasons. For example, diversity can be used to achieve a wide range of social justice goals, such as increasing representation of underrepresented groups in the workforce.

Others may argue that diversity is important because it simply makes us better people. When we’re exposed to people from different backgrounds, we have the opportunity to learn about new cultures and perspectives. This can make us more understanding and tolerant of others.

These are all valid arguments, but I believe that the most important reason diversity is important is because it simply makes good business sense. A diverse workforce can lead to increased creativity and innovation, and it can also help companies tap into new markets. These are just a few of the many reasons why diversity is so important.

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Cross-Cultural Psychology

Living and loving in a diverse society, intercultural relationships can be very happy if approached properly..

Posted April 3, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

• Researchers have identified three different ways of thinking about diversity.
• The ways that intercultural couples think about diversity can impact relationship satisfaction.
• Likewise, it affects their children’s personality and self-identity formation.

North America has long been a melting pot of cultures as centuries of immigrants came to settle in the New World. But the attitude has long been that people should stick to their own kind, both in friendship and in romance.

Certainly, there have always been those who fell in love across racial or ethnic boundaries , but it was long believed that such “mixed marriages” were doomed to failure. And thanks to the discrimination and ostracism these couples faced, this often became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

In recent years, however, attitudes have changed, and society has become accepting of racial and ethnic diversity in neighborhoods, at work, among friends, and even between lovers. And with this change in social attitudes, more and more people are seeking relationships outside their own culture. That is, they view compatibility more in terms of personality than superficial features like skin color or ethnic group.

Ways of Thinking About Diversity

It appears that today’s youth are largely accepting of differences in race and ethnicity , especially in more urban areas. However, as University of Toronto (Canada) psychologist Hanieh Naeimi and her colleagues point out in an article they recently published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , there are various ways of thinking about diversity. Furthermore, they provide evidence from studies of intercultural couples that people’s diversity ideology can have a significant impact on the quality of their relationships.

Naeimi and her colleagues point out that past research has identified three types of diversity ideology:

• Colorblindness is the perspective that all people should be treated equally despite their cultural differences, which are seen as superficial. Deep down, according to this viewpoint, people are all the same, and cultural differences should be ignored. It calls on intercultural couples to act as though there were no meaningful cultural differences between them.
• Multiculturalism is an ideology that acknowledges cultural differences as real and significant but nevertheless worth learning about and celebrating. Like colorblindness, multiculturalism sees culture as an immutable part of a person, but unlike colorblindness, cultural differences should be accepted rather than ignored. It calls on intercultural couples to each maintain their own culture.
• Polyculturalism is similar to multiculturalism in that it accepts cultural differences as real and meaningful, but unlike multiculturalism or colorblindness, it sees culture as ever-evolving. It calls on intercultural couples to celebrate both cultures and even to blend them together.

In sum, each of these diversity ideologies provides a program for how intercultural couples should share their cultures with each other, both in terms of how each person expresses their own culture and how they accept their partner’s culture.

How Thinking About Diversity Affects Intercultural Relationships

In three studies, Naeimi and her colleagues investigated how diversity ideology impacted relationship outcomes through the practice of cultural sharing.

People who endorsed colorblindness tended to be less accepting of their partner’s culture, which resulted in less satisfaction and more conflict in their relationship. Because they claim to see no significant differences between cultures, they tend to assume that their partner’s culture is pretty much the same as their own, which can come across as dismissive. The researchers noted that this was less of a problem for couples whose cultures are similar, but conflict and dissatisfaction increase when the cultures are farther apart or if there has been significant historical discord between the two heritages.

Overall, people who endorsed multiculturalism showed greater acceptance of their partner’s culture and more willingness to express their own. In other words, they showed mutual respect for each other’s culture and traditions. As a result, they were happier in their relationships than were those who endorsed colorblindness.

However, the happiest relationships were those in which the partners endorsed polyculturalism. Not only do they respect each other’s cultures, but they also take part in each partner’s cultural activities and traditions. That is, the partners enjoy the food and music and celebrate the holidays and ceremonies of both cultures.

How Thinking About Diversity Affects Children of Intercultural Couples

The researchers also note that diversity ideology has an important impact on the personality development of the children of intercultural couples. When parents endorse colorblindness, the family’s culture tends to default to the dominant culture of the society in which they live. As a result, the children lose the cultural heritage of the other parent.

Likewise, children of parents who endorse multiculturalism will struggle with the formation of self- identity . They will ask if they belong to their mother’s or their father’s culture. Again, they’re most likely to default to the culture of the society in which they live.

Only when parents endorse polyculturalism will children benefit from their parents’ cultural diversity. These are the children who grow up to be adults who move seamlessly from one culture to the other and feel at ease in either one.

Living and loving in a diverse society requires all three diversity ideologies. Colorblindness teaches us to respect all persons as equals regardless of their cultural background. Multiculturalism raises our awareness and acceptance of the rich and colorful traditions and practices of each culture. And finally, polyculturalism encourages us to celebrate the diverse cultures of our friends and lovers and even make them our own.

Naeimi, H., West, A. L., Muise, A., Johnson, M. D., & Impett, E. A. (2023). Through the cultural looking glass: Diversity ideologies and cultural sharing in intercultural romantic relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships . Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1177/02654075231208727

David Ludden, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College.

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Nicholas Kristof

The Case for Saying ‘I Do’

By Nicholas Kristof

Opinion Columnist

With little notice, the United States may be crossing a historic milestone in family structure, one that may shape our health, wealth and happiness.

Historically, most American adults were married — more than two-thirds as recently as 1970. But the married share has crept downward , and today only about half of adults are married. Depending on the data source, we may already have entered an epoch in which a majority are not married.

“Our civilization is in the midst of an epochal shift, a shift away from marriage,” Brad Wilcox, a sociologist who directs the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, writes in his new book, “ Get Married .” “In place of marriage, many Americans are remaining single or simply living together without wedding rings. And to be clear, it’s more of the former than the latter.”

Wilcox believes that perhaps a third of today’s young Americans will never marry. As a long-married romantic myself, I find that troubling, but it’s not just soggy sentimentality. Survey data indicates that married couples on average report more happiness, build more wealth, live longer and raise more successful children than single parents or cohabiting couples, though there are plenty of exceptions.

“Fixing what ails America starts with renewing marriage and family life, especially in poor and working-class communities where the fabric of family life is weakest,” Wilcox argues.

He’s up against a counter view that one should dodge family responsibilities, relish freedom and play hard. Many boys and men flock to the online rantings of Andrew Tate , the misogynistic influencer facing human trafficking charges, who has argued, “There is zero advantage to marriage in the Western world for a man.”

Some women have likewise celebrated freeing themselves from an institution that often shackled them to cooking, laundry and second-class status at a cost to their careers. As women have enjoyed more economic opportunities, they’re less often forced to marry some oaf who gets violent after a few drinks — and, anyway, what self-respecting woman with independent means would want to marry, say, a fan of Andrew Tate?

Yet even as marriage has receded, the evidence has grown that while it isn’t for everyone, in many cases it can improve our lives more than we may appreciate.

“Marriage predicts happiness better than education, work and money,” Wilcox writes. For example, survey data indicates that getting a college degree increases the odds of describing oneself as “very happy” by 64 percent. Earning a solid income lifts the odds by 88 percent. Being “very satisfied” with one’s job raises them by 145 percent. And marriage increases the odds of being very happy by 151 percent — while a “very happy” marriage boosts the odds by 545 percent.

I’ve long been interested in family structure for two reasons. First, I believe the left made a historic mistake by demonizing the Moynihan Report, which 59 years ago this month warned about the consequences of family breakdown. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was prescient, for we now know that households headed by single mothers are five times as likely to live in poverty as those with married couples.

Second, loneliness and social isolation are growing problems. One poignant example: Perhaps 100,000 or more dead bodies in America go unclaimed each year, often because there are no loved ones to say farewell. It’s a topic explored in another recent book, “The Unclaimed,” by sociologists Pamela Prickett and Stefan Timmermans.

Marriage doesn’t solve loneliness and social isolation, but it helps. And there is good news on the family front: The divorce rate has dropped to a 50-year low , and the share of children raised in an intact family with married parents has increased slightly in recent years. Today about 51 percent of American kids reach adulthood with the same two parents they started out with.

But it’s also true that the marriage rate has collapsed, particularly for working-class Americans. Of those without a high school diploma, more than two-thirds are unmarried.

Wilcox writes that “the American heart is closing,” but I wouldn’t put it that way. I think many Americans want to marry but don’t feel sufficiently financially stable, or they can’t find the right person.

I’m staggered by the interest in virtual boyfriends and virtual girlfriends. One virtual boyfriend app offers an assortment of possibilities such as “polite and intelligent Edward” or “romantic and cute Daniel.”

“Don’t be shy, he’ll definitely like you,” the app advises. “He knows how to cheer you up, so you won’t feel sad or lonely.”

Just reading that makes me achingly sad. Virtual mates feel like an elegy for civilization.

One reason for the decline in marriage in working-class communities may be a lack of economic opportunity, particularly for men, and another may be culture and changing norms. That’s worth pondering. In polls, majorities of college-educated liberals seem diffident about marriage, unwilling to criticize infidelity and disagreeing with the idea that children do better with two married parents. Perhaps this liberal lack of enthusiasm for marriage also accounts for the marriage penalties built into benefit programs like Medicaid, in turn disincentivizing marriage for low-income Americans.

Wilcox scolds elites for clinging to traditional values themselves — in the sense that they get married and have kids for the most part — even as they are reluctant to endorse marriage for fear of seeming judgmental or intolerant. Elites “talk left but walk right,” he says.

We are social animals, Aristotle noted more than two millenniums ago, and it’s still true. Spouses can be exasperating (as my wife can attest), but they also can cuddle, fill us with love and connect us to a purpose beyond ourselves. They are infinitely better, for us and for society, than virtual lovers on an app, and that seems worth celebrating openly.

Update: I have the final figures for my 2023 holiday giving guide , so I owe readers a follow-up and a “thank you.” More than 5,400 readers contributed a total of $7.2 million to the three nonprofits I recommended , and here’s what the donations will mean in practical terms: 12,150 girls in rural Africa will be supported for a year of high school through Camfed ; 1,645 young people in the United States will be supported for a year of instruction and mentoring to succeed in college or technical school through OneGoal ; and 4,218 low-income Americans will get free training in information technology through Per Scholas so that they can start better-paying careers in the tech world. All three organizations do excellent work. In addition, 671 readers volunteered to help refugees settle in the United States through my recommended volunteer opportunity, Welcome.US . Thanks so much to all who donated and volunteered: People are benefiting here and abroad from your generosity.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Nicholas Kristof became a columnist for The Times Opinion desk in 2001. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes, for his coverage of China and of the genocide in Darfur. @ NickKristof

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Regions Riding Forward® Scholarship Contest

Their Story. Your Voice.

Your voice is your own. But it's also been impacted by others. Who, we wonder, has inspired you? Let us know by entering the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest. 

You could win an $8,000 college scholarship

For the opportunity to win an $8,000 scholarship, submit a video or written essay about an individual you know personally (who lives in your community) who has inspired you and helped you build the confidence you need to achieve your goals.

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The 2024 Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest consists of four (4) separate Quarterly Contests - one for each calendar quarter of 2024. Regions is awarding four $8,000 scholarships through each Quarterly Contest.

Each Quarterly Contest has its own separate entry period, as provided in the chart below.

The entry deadline for each Quarterly Contest is 11:59:59 PM Central Time on the applicable Quarterly Contest period end date (set forth in the chart above).

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Regions believes in supporting the students whose passion and actions every day will continue to make stories worth sharing. That’s why we have awarded over $1 million in total scholarships to high school and college students.

How to enter, 1. complete an online quarterly contest application.

Enter the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest by completing a Quarterly Contest application.  The second Quarterly Contest runs from April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024. Complete and save all requested information. 

2. Prepare your Written Essay or Video Essay

For each Quarterly Contest, the topic of your Written Essay or Video Essay (your “Essay Topic”) must be an individual you know personally, who lives in your community. Your Written Essay or Video Essay must address how the individual you have selected as your Essay Topic has inspired you and helped you build the confidence you need to achieve your goals.

Written Essay and Video Essay submissions must meet all of the requirements described in the contest Official Rules. Your Written Essay or Video Essay must be (i) in English, (ii) your own original work, created solely by you (and without the use of any means of artificial intelligence (“AI”)), and (iii) the exclusive property of you alone.

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

With war in Gaza, Israel faces new pressure to draft the ultra-Orthodox into service

Jennifer Ludden

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray at a yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 21. The war in Gaza has prompted calls for Israel to end military exemptions for full-time religious students. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray at a yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 21. The war in Gaza has prompted calls for Israel to end military exemptions for full-time religious students.

A core tension in Israeli society has grown more urgent since the Hamas attack on Israel last October: Whether to draft the ultra-Orthodox into military service.

Full-time religious students have been broadly exempt since the nation's founding 76 years ago. A sky-high birth rate means the share who don't serve has grown larger over the decades. Meanwhile, the Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people — and Israel's response to it — has led to both a mass mobilization and shortage of soldiers.

Pressure to solve this disconnect has intensified a battle that both the ultra-Orthodox community and the military see as existential.

And the clock is ticking. Facing a deadline set by the nation's Supreme Court, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is supposed to present a military draft plan by the end of the month. He could either extend the exemption, or embrace growing calls for change. Either way, he faces opposition that threatens his ruling coalition.

On a recent evening in the city of Bnei Brak, a center of Israeli ultra-Orthodox life, 23-year-old Shmuel Hezi was defensive about the debate. He and other young men in black coats and broad brim black hats were gathered for evening prayer outside the prestigious Chazon Ish religious seminary, or yeshiva.

The media seems to forget, he says, but after the Hamas attack, the Haredim, as Orthodox Jews are called in Hebrew, did their part.

"We were the first responders, going in the ambulances and helping to identify bodies," he says.

It's true that many ultra-Orthodox did perform these jobs . But the idea of enlisting in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) — what's known in Israel as the People's Army? He rejects it out of hand.

Israeli soldiers gather at a staging area in southern Israel before entering Gaza in December. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is supposed to present a military draft plan in coming days that could either extend exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox, or embrace growing calls for change. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Israeli soldiers gather at a staging area in southern Israel before entering Gaza in December. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is supposed to present a military draft plan in coming days that could either extend exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox, or embrace growing calls for change.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men cross a street in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 21. Full-time religious students have been broadly exempt from military service in Israel since the nation's founding 76 years ago. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men cross a street in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 21. Full-time religious students have been broadly exempt from military service in Israel since the nation's founding 76 years ago.

"Let's turn the tables," he says. "If the army was all religious people, would you, a secular person, send your son? No, you would not."

In fact, after the attack a couple thousand ultra-Orthodox did sign up for military service. And polls showed more Haredim support for the military. But for many Israelis, who overwhelmingly support ending the exemption, it's not nearly enough.

Since the surprise Hamas assault, Israel has been fighting on three fronts: A punishing military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health; stepped up battles in the West Bank and mutual attacks along its northern border with the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah. To support all this, the Israeli military has called up hundreds of thousands of reservists, drafted others early and pushed for longer rotations.

"The people that are serving will now have to do twice or three times more. That's crazy. It will not happen," says Ron Scherf, co-founder of Brothers and Sisters in Arms. The group of reservists has held regular protests calling for an end to the broad ultra-Orthodox exemption.

Scherf served just outside Gaza for a month after the October attack, and says he was most recently called up for reserve duty two weeks ago. His 20-year-old son is now doing his mandatory service.

"A minister in the government who is willing to send my son to his death, and his son doing nothing," he says. "Who can understand that?"

Scherf's group has three demands: Everyone must enlist; waivers should apply to everyone; and both rules must be enforced.

Ron Scherf, co-founder of Brothers and Sisters in Arms, sits for a portrait at his home in Tel Aviv on March 18. The group of reservists has held regular protests calling for an end to the ultra-Orthodox exemption. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Ron Scherf, co-founder of Brothers and Sisters in Arms, sits for a portrait at his home in Tel Aviv on March 18. The group of reservists has held regular protests calling for an end to the ultra-Orthodox exemption.

Ron Scherf (second from right) takes part in a protest in Tel Aviv opposing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling for a deal to release the hostages still held in Gaza, on March 23. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Ron Scherf (second from right) takes part in a protest in Tel Aviv opposing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling for a deal to release the hostages still held in Gaza, on March 23.

Critics say too many people are now exempt

The ultra-Orthodox military exemption goes back to Israel's 1948 founding in the wake of the Holocaust, when protecting the remnant of religious scholars was considered key for a Jewish state. At the time it only applied to some 400 people.

But Haredi families have on average six or seven children, and that birth rate makes them the fastest growing segment of Israel's population. They now make up more than a quarter of enlistment age men, according to Yonahan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute.

"There are huge implications on Israeli democracy, in multiple dimensions," he says.

For one thing, to get out of military service you can't hold a job. That's seen as a drag on the economy and a growing financial burden for the rest of the nation. What's more, Haredi political power has grown along with its population, and has become crucial to Netanyahu's coalition.

"[Netanyahu's] entire political career, there was a sort of over-arching directive: Preserve the alliance with the ultra-Orthodox at all costs, because this alliance preserves his grip over power," says Plesner.

For ultra-Orthodox leaders the fight is existential. The word Haredi means one who trembles before God. They reject engagement with the modern world and fear that exposing young men to it through the military will end their way of life.

But in some corners, change is coming, slowly.

Rabbi Yonatan Reiss, who co-founded Yeshiva Chedvata, stands for a portrait in the study hall at the yeshiva in Gan Yavne, Israel, on March 20. The school aims to be a bridge between the ultra-Orthodox and secular military culture. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Rabbi Yonatan Reiss, who co-founded Yeshiva Chedvata, stands for a portrait in the study hall at the yeshiva in Gan Yavne, Israel, on March 20. The school aims to be a bridge between the ultra-Orthodox and secular military culture.

Students attend a lecture from a visiting rabbi in the study hall at Yeshiva Chedvata in Gan Yavne, Israel, on March 20. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Students attend a lecture from a visiting rabbi in the study hall at Yeshiva Chedvata in Gan Yavne, Israel, on March 20.

There are options for religious men who want to serve

On a recent sunny day, a group of young men in black pants and white t-shirts played a boisterous game of soccer on a grassy campus 45 minutes south of Tel Aviv. They were on a break between classes at Yeshiva Chedvata, which seeks to be a bridge between the ultra-Orthodox and secular military culture.

"As the Haredim grows and grows, there are a lot of young people who don't want to study the Torah all the time," says Rabbi Yonatan Reiss, who co-founded this yeshiva seven years ago, essentially for people like himself.

After high school, instead of religious study he went to Brazil, created a business and stayed several years. When he returned to Israel, the military tracked him down and forced him to enlist. Reiss says that's when he realized religious young men were not prepared for military service, or other jobs.

So here, and at two other yeshivas he runs, there are classes in math, English, and computer science. All students join the military, and use the skills they've learned. Rabbi Reiss says the Hamas attack in October only confirmed the need for this.

"The entire Israeli society knew what to do and where they had to go serve," he says. "But many ultra-Orthodox were embarrassed, wondering 'What can we do?'"

Binyamin Savrasov, 19, a student at Yeshiva Chedvata, sits for a portrait in a classroom at the yeshiva on March 20. "If it's not you, it's your brothers or your cousins or someone who's not as religious as you. So you're just being selfish," he says about serving. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Binyamin Savrasov, 19, a student at Yeshiva Chedvata, sits for a portrait in a classroom at the yeshiva on March 20. "If it's not you, it's your brothers or your cousins or someone who's not as religious as you. So you're just being selfish," he says about serving.

David Tvito, 21, a student at Yeshiva Chedvata, stands for a portrait at the yeshiva in Gan Yavne, Israel, on March 20. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

David Tvito, 21, a student at Yeshiva Chedvata, stands for a portrait at the yeshiva in Gan Yavne, Israel, on March 20.

Outside a classroom, 21-year-old David Tvito says after studying the Torah for six years he felt he wasn't doing as well as others, so decided to make a change. At first his parents were disappointed, but they've come around. They like that "I'm really succeeding in it, and I'm getting good grades," he says.

Binyamin Savrasov, 19, says he's not from the most religious family, and actually has two older brothers who served in the army. But it didn't go over well when their ultra-Orthodox community found out they were enlisting.

"Some neighbors were kind of mean to us and like, you know, throw eggs on our cars," he says.

He's confident he can keep his religion while in the military, and thinks it's only right to enlist. "If it's not you, it's your brothers or your cousins or someone who's not as religious as you. So you're just being selfish," he says.

The stigma around military service may fade slowly

Nechumi Yaffe of Tel Aviv University is ultra-Orthodox herself, and says there's been a steep social price for those who join the Israeli military.

"Going to the army will damage their ability to marry," she says. "It will damage their relationship in the family."

She believes it will be good for the community to "normalize" as more people are drafted. But she thinks Israelis don't understand how challenging that process may be for young men who've been so socially isolated, with little to no education on human rights.

Israeli soldiers walk through the Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem on March 21. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Israeli soldiers walk through the Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem on March 21.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men shop for vegetables at a store in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 21. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men shop for vegetables at a store in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 21.

"I think the Israeli society should ask itself, actually, do you want to see them in the army?" she says. "You know, [Israelis] want to see blood. They want to see them in uniform, shooting. I don't think it's a great idea."

She suggests starting some off as truck drivers or cooks, while they adapt to a secular world.

Another challenge, she says, is that despite warmer attitudes toward the military since the Hamas assault, people returning to the community after service still face stigma.

Back in Bnei Brak, Mordechai Porat, 36, is one of the ultra-Orthodox who volunteered for duty last October.

"I felt like a lion in a cage. I had to do something," he says.

He's a social worker, and since November has been providing therapy at a nearby military base. Porat's father told him to never wear his green fatigues in the city, so he changes back into a black jacket before coming home. He makes sure to keep his military dog tag hidden underneath his collar.

Mordechai Porat, 36, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man who volunteered for duty last October, stands for a portrait while wearing his dog tags in Bnei Brak on March 21. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

Mordechai Porat, 36, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man who volunteered for duty last October, stands for a portrait while wearing his dog tags in Bnei Brak on March 21.

But even with this low profile, he says he's paid a price. "My [kindergarten age] son has still not been accepted into the community school," he says.

Porat thinks most ultra-Orthodox will never join the military. And he understands Israelis have run out of patience over the exemption, but says they need to be patient a while longer. He's sure more and more people will consider enlisting over time.

"But if people are forced into it, they'll just push back," he says.

Alon Avital and Itay Stern contributed reporting for this story.

National Junior Honor Society Application Essay

My name is Robby Bennett. I am 14 years old, and am an eighth grader here at Belmont Ridge in the class of 2028. I have been here since sixth grade, and have never had an opportunity that has honored me to this extent. Even just the thought of getting the opportunity to walk across the stage at the induction ceremony, gives me butterflies. The National Junior Honor Society was created by a select number of principles that only a small majority possess. I will show why I am part of the small group, by demonstrating all of the qualities, which make me a National Junior Honor Society member. Scholarship. The University of Michigan. Scholarship in my words, is defined as being committed and interested in harnessing knowledge, as well as pushing …show more content…

English, science, algebra; you name it, I am always a leader in the classroom. I try as hard as I can to be a respectful, responsible, and proactive student. I also strive to be a role model for others. But, it isn’t just in the classroom. I am also a scholar-athlete, playing baseball for the Belmont Ridge baseball team. Also, one fun fact about me is that I am a beekeeper! This spring will be the fourth time that I have had bees. But what does this have to do with leadership? Beekeeping has done wonders for me, because it gave me a chance to outreach with the Loudoun Beekeepers Association, where I am the youngest member. I use my leadership skills to help out at their events, as well as educating new and existing members on the subject. Also, I have noticed that these get-togethers and events have improved my social skills over the past few years. This has helped me be a social leader amongst my peers, especially in school and on my baseball …show more content…

Having good citizenship means respecting personal freedoms, understanding the role of civic engagement, and having respect for democracy. This principle really stands out to me, because I have come to realize that a lot of people throughout the world don't have the same opportunities that young folks like me, have. For some, freedom is taken for granted. Personally, I don’t think I have ever taken it for granted, since being free is great because you can make your own decisions in life, which promotes diversity in thoughts and actions, in a society. This can also be displayed, by being engaged in civic activities, and standing up for yourself and others, as two examples. Having citizenship is a great way to put yourself out there, which I strongly

More about National Junior Honor Society Application Essay

Tolerance and Respect for Cultural Differences Essay

Introduction, organization of the essay, tolerance and respect in relation to cultural diversities, reasons why tolerance and respect solve societal challenges, recommendations and conclusion, works cited, background information.

Conflict is the most common form of challenge facing the human population today. An in-depth analysis of interactions between people from different backgrounds reveals that the said conflict is as a result of societal diversities. The diversities include differences in, among others, social status, race, affiliations to ethnic groups, and political beliefs. According to Agius and Ambrosewicz (1), the diversities in any given society are brought about by cultural variations.

In this essay, the author seeks to provide a solution for these conflicts in a bid to promote peaceful coexistence among people from different cultural and social backgrounds.

Thesis Statement

Tolerance and respect help to reduce conflicts in multicultural societies .

Most contemporary societies are characterized by cultural diversities. The differences are increased by globalization, where physical and geographical borders have reduced and movement of people increased. Tolerance and respect for these diversities is the only way through which people from different backgrounds can live peacefully. The author of this paper bases their arguments on the sentiments held by Basso (7). Basso provides solutions on how to deal with diversity in a society. The author relies on Basso to support the thesis statement in light of the readings specified for this course. A number of factors that support tolerance and respect for diversity are clearly outlined in this essay. In addition, the author of this essay illustrates how the said respect and tolerance can be realized.

The essay is divided into three major sections. The first section constitutes the introduction where an overview of the essay is outlined. The second section is made up of the body of the essay. The definition of terms, position of the author on the subject matter, and justifications for the arguments made is contained in this section. The author concludes the essay in the third section by revisiting the thesis statement and highlighting the various approaches used to develop attitudes that promote respect and tolerance. The conclusion borrows heavily from the course readings as outlined by Basso (4).

Definition of Terms

Tolerance draws its philosophical meanings from the accommodation of divergent behaviors in a given society. Agius and Ambrosewicz (11) argue that this concept can be regarded as the formula required for the peaceful coexistence of a socially and culturally divergent people. The two scholars point out that diversity in a society can be brought about by many factors. For instance, the society today is characterized by individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. Such individuals come together to form groups that exhibit diversities with regards to race and ethnicity. Religion is also another reason that brings about divergence in a society.

For example, the American society is made up of people from Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and other religious groups. Tolerance can be viewed as the adhesive that holds people together and helps them to live harmoniously despite their cultural differences. It averts conflicts, which may lead to societal disintegration. Conflicts consume a lot of resources that could have been used to promote the society economically and socially. For example, money, time, and human resources are used to resolve disagreements that arise among people in the society.

Tolerance is closely related to the concept of universal equality. Agius and Ambrosewicz (11) argue that a single group in a society can claim superiority over others. For example, the whites can hold the opinion that they are superior to blacks, Hispanics, and other minority groups. Tolerance comes in to address these issues. It promotes the acceptance of other people’s rights to exist regardless of the cultural differences. Basso uses the narrative Number Our Days to illustrate this notion.

Respect and cultural diversity

Respect refers to the way an individual regards other people in the society. In the opinions of Agius and Ambrosewicz (17), this concept is considered as the conduct of an individual with regards to the ethical traits of another person or group. In the matrix of a multicultural society, there are bound to be differences in behavior owing to varying cultural backgrounds. Under such circumstances, respect is seen as the manner in which one party in the society treats their counterparts. It overlooks the biases that would result from the diversity in the community.

Respect and Tolerance

From the definitions provided above, it is evident that the two terms are closely related, especially with regards to cultural diversity. Agius and Ambrosewicz (19) argue that tolerance results from the respect that an individual has towards the diversities evident in the society. Similarly, respect relies on the understanding that people are entitled to their behaviors. The author of this essay relies on this relationship to make arguments in support of development of attitudes that enhance respect and tolerance for diversity.

Solving Societal Challenges in Light of Cultural Diversities

In the previous sections of this essay, the author suggested that attitudes that promote respect and tolerance can solve many of the challenges threatening cohesion and coexistence in the society. As envisaged by Agius and Ambrosewicz (12), conflict is the most common challenge facing a multicultural civilization. The central argument in this essay agrees with the notion that the attitudes supporting respect and tolerance go a long way in solving societal problems, including conflicts. In this regard, several cases of intolerance and disrespect are examined to outline their negative impacts on the society.

A multicultural civilization can be regarded as one that is defined by the existence of people from different racial and cultural backgrounds. By virtue of their ethnic diversity, the individuals are likely to hold clashing schools of thought. For example, the natives may hold religious and political views that are different from those promoted by the whites. The variations are likely to create frictions between these two groups. The demographics of the various racial and ethnic groups vary. In light of these demographics, the dominant group tends to feel superior to the minority class. Agius and Ambrosewicz (13) give an example of racial profiling in Europe and America, some of the most advanced nations in the civilized world. Caucasians are the dominant race in these two societies. As a result, people from other races have received prejudicial treatment in these communities.

Racism is one of the major effects of ethnic diversities in a society. The phenomenon is brought about by the perception that Caucasians are superior to other races, such as the blacks and Hispanics. The act is a classic example of disrespect and intolerance with regards to diversity (Basso 29). Based on the definition of tolerance, it is evident that intolerance is the direct opposite of this concept. A group of people may consider others as unworthy of certain privileges. An example of such kind of intolerance exhibited itself in America where African Americans were denied several rights owing to the color of their skin. The result was a bloody struggle for freedom.

History is replete with several accounts and cases where tolerance and respect for diversity provided solutions to many conflicts. Agius and Ambrosewicz (21) make reference to the gradual decline of sexism. For a long time, most societies believed that men were superior to women. Religions like Christianity and Islam had doctrines that suggested women were inferior to men. Consequently, women were denied certain rights. For instance, in Europe, women were not allowed to vote. However, through dialogue and respect for equality, the group was eventually allowed to exercise this right.

Discrimination is often a manifestation of intolerance and disrespect. Societies that do not embrace tolerance are torn apart by conflicts (Basso 43). Racism and sexism are some of the attitudes that have changed significantly over the years. The shifts in attitudes have led to various changes in the society. For instance, it is now common for an African American to take a Caucasian woman for a wife without societal uproar. Such are the ‘attitudinal’ changes that made it possible for the United States of America to elect a black president for two terms.

The peaceful coexistence between people from different backgrounds is better than conflict. In their analysis of tolerance, Agius and Ambrosewicz (11) argue that conflict is resolved by changes in attitude. The two argue that human existence can be traced back to more than 3000 years ago. However, societies have spent more time in conflicts than in actual peaceful coexistence. That notwithstanding, many of the conflicts were resolved with the help of dialogues. In The Spirit Catches You , Basso (45) suggests that dialogue is an attribute of respect towards others.

As a societal challenge, conflict is not attractive. The many wars experienced in the past support this assertion by Agius and Ambrosewicz (4). It is expensive for a society to comfortably enjoy life amidst conflicts. During was, for instance, basic amenities become scarce. To achieve these social amenities, peaceful coexistence is a requirement. A look at attitudinal shifts reveals that very few resources are spent to achieve coexistence. As such, attitudes that enhance respect and tolerance are inexpensive ways of resolving conflicts.

Another reason why these attitudes are a solution to societal challenges is the importance of peaceful coexistence. Agius and Ambrosewicz (18) argue that an increase in the size of global population highlights the need for coexistence. Land is not increasing. It remains static as population size rises. As such, it is important for people to coexist in harmony. Through tolerance, people are able to appreciate their diversity and share the available resources without bias. However, in the absence of tolerance and respect, chaos would reign and nobody stands to benefit. Basso (45) makes a similar assertion in the narrative The Spirit Catches You.

Recommendations

The discussions in this essay have expounded on the challenges facing humanity. The illustrations about the negative effects of conflict have made it necessary to address attitudinal changes in the society. Agius and Ambrosewicz (23) argue that tolerance and respect are the responses needed to address the problems associated with multicultural societies. Globalization comes with diversities, making it necessary for people to adjust their attitudes. In light of this, the report makes the following recommendations:

Future generations require peace if they are to enjoy their life. The thesis statement envisages tolerance and respect as the key to ending conflict. Education can be used to promote tolerance and respect (Agius and Ambrosewicz 23). People should be taught about the importance of equality. A comprehensive form of education is needed to help the public understand the benefits of diversity. The education should be viewed as beneficial, not as a threat.

Legislation

The author of this essay finds that intolerance may be brought about by legal loopholes. It is important for societies to ensure that intolerance and disrespect are treated as crimes. According to Agius and Ambrosewicz (24), punitive measures are important in phasing out criminal activities. As such, if intolerance and disrespect are criminalized, individuals may begin to appreciate each others’ diversity.

Conflict is one of the problems facing people in a multicultural society. Depending on the background of different individuals, biases are bound to occur when there are divergences in terms of culture (Basso 47). Tolerance and respect are attitudes that can help people appreciate their diversity. Rather than viewing people from different cultures as threats, tolerance and respect helps to illustrate the benefits of the same. Diversity in a multicultural society has a lot of benefits. However, the only way to exploit these benefits is by allowing tolerance and respect to thrive.

Agius, Emmanuel, and Jolanta Ambrosewicz. Towards a Culture of Tolerance and Peace, Montreal: International Bureau for Children Rights, 2003. Print.

Basso, Keith 1984, Course on Language and Thought in Native American Cultures , Yale University, School of Social Sciences. Print.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Tolerance and Respect for Cultural Differences." January 7, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tolerance-and-respect-for-cultural-differences/.

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image processing —

Playboy image from 1972 gets ban from ieee computer journals, use of "lenna" image in computer image processing research stretches back to the 1970s..

Benj Edwards - Mar 29, 2024 9:16 pm UTC

On Wednesday, the IEEE Computer Society announced to members that, after April 1, it would no longer accept papers that include a frequently used image of a 1972 Playboy model named Lena Forsén. The so-called " Lenna image ," (Forsén added an extra "n" to her name in her Playboy appearance to aid pronunciation) has been used in image processing research since 1973 and has attracted criticism for making some women feel unwelcome in the field.

Further Reading

In an email from the IEEE Computer Society sent to members on Wednesday, Technical & Conference Activities Vice President Terry Benzel wrote , "IEEE's diversity statement and supporting policies such as the IEEE Code of Ethics speak to IEEE's commitment to promoting an including and equitable culture that welcomes all. In alignment with this culture and with respect to the wishes of the subject of the image, Lena Forsén, IEEE will no longer accept submitted papers which include the 'Lena image.'"

An uncropped version of the 512×512-pixel test image originally appeared as the centerfold picture for the December 1972 issue of Playboy Magazine. Usage of the Lenna image in image processing began in June or July 1973 when an assistant professor named Alexander Sawchuck and a graduate student at the University of Southern California Signal and Image Processing Institute scanned a square portion of the centerfold image with a primitive drum scanner, omitting nudity present in the original image. They scanned it for a colleague's conference paper, and after that, others began to use the image as well.

The image's use spread in other papers throughout the 1970s, '80s, and '90s , and it caught Playboy's attention, but the company decided to overlook the copyright violations. In 1997, Playboy helped track down Forsén, who appeared at the 50th Annual Conference of the Society for Imaging Science in Technology, signing autographs for fans. "They must be so tired of me... looking at the same picture for all these years!" she said at the time. VP of new media at Playboy Eileen Kent told Wired , "We decided we should exploit this, because it is a phenomenon."

The image, which features Forsén's face and bare shoulder as she wears a hat with a purple feather, was reportedly ideal for testing image processing systems in the early years of digital image technology due to its high contrast and varied detail. It is also a sexually suggestive photo of an attractive woman, and its use by men in the computer field has garnered criticism over the decades, especially from female scientists and engineers who felt that the image (especially related to its association with the Playboy brand) objectified women and created an academic climate where they did not feel entirely welcome.

Due to some of this criticism, which dates back to at least 1996 , the journal Nature banned the use of the Lena image in paper submissions in 2018.

The comp.compression Usenet newsgroup FAQ document claims that in 1988, a Swedish publication asked Forsén if she minded her image being used in computer science, and she was reportedly pleasantly amused. In a 2019 Wired article , Linda Kinstler wrote that Forsén did not harbor resentment about the image, but she regretted that she wasn't paid better for it originally. "I’m really proud of that picture," she told Kinstler at the time.

Since then, Forsén has apparently changed her mind. In 2019, Creatable and Code Like a Girl created an advertising documentary titled Losing Lena , which was part of a promotional campaign aimed at removing the Lena image from use in tech and the image processing field. In a press release for the campaign and film, Forsén is quoted as saying, "I retired from modelling a long time ago. It’s time I retired from tech, too. We can make a simple change today that creates a lasting change for tomorrow. Let’s commit to losing me."

It seems like that commitment is now being granted. The ban in IEEE publications, which have been historically important journals for computer imaging development, will likely further set a precedent toward removing the Lenna image from common use. In the email, IEEE's Benzel recommended wider sensitivity about the issue, writing, "In order to raise awareness of and increase author compliance with this new policy, program committee members and reviewers should look for inclusion of this image, and if present, should ask authors to replace the Lena image with an alternative."

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