"Students will enhance their appreciation for and understanding of the rich complexity of the human experience through the study of differences in ethnic and cultural perspectives, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability."

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Brought up to believe that diversity was all-important, I thought I had it all covered. After all, I am not white, that must mean my world is super rad and multicultural! I know minorities because I am one. Sure, I speak Vietnamese with an American accent, but the very fact that I can talk in Vietnamese at all shows how "multicultural" I am.

 

That is not the diversity of human experience at all. As it is right now, my understanding about diversity is limited; simply not being white does not equal understanding. The university has students from all over the world - even students from the other side of Portland have vastly different experiences from me. This goal is about understanding that every person has their own experiences that are unique to them, and accepting and appreciating that they are diferent from your own.