1. Do or Diversity
Derek Brinkley
Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment
Xavier University

2. Agenda
• What is diversity?
• Why is diversity important in higher
education?
• Challenges of recruiting diverse students
• Effective strategies for recruiting diverse
students
• Questions/Discussion

3. What is Diversity?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmj9HnbdhT
c&feature=related

4. No, seriously… What is Diversity?
• Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines
diversity as “the inclusion of different types of
people (as people of different races or
cultures) in a group or organization”
• Variety or point of difference in reference to
identity

5. Dimensions of Identity
• Gender • Nationality
• Race/Ethnicity • Geographical Location
• Socioeconomic Status • Religion
• Sexual Orientation • Educational
• Culture Background
• Abilities
• Gender Expression
• Age

6. Circles of My Diverse Self
• Fill in circles with four dimensions of your identity
• Share a story when you were especially proud to be
associated with one of your identifiers
• Share a story when it was painful to be associated
with one of your identifiers
• Share a stereotype you have heard about one
dimension of you identity that fails to describe you
accurately

7. Why is This Important?
Must examine and understand yourself and
what biases you bring to the table in order to
effectively serve students from all diverse
backgrounds

8. Why is Diversity Important in
Higher Education?
• Enriches the collegiate experience by
providing students with opportunities to learn
from those who are different
• Introduces students to unfamiliar situations
• Prepares both underrepresented students and
“majority” students for real life in the
workplace

9. Who are Underrepresented
Students?
• Depends on your school or institution
– Race
– Ethnicity
– Gender
– First Generation
– Low-income
– Geography

10. Challenges of Recruiting
Underrepresented Students
• Perceptions and beliefs
• Lack of knowledge and support in navigating
higher education admissions
• Location
• Finances
• Others?

11. Effective Strategies for Recruiting
Underrepresented Students
• Start early
• Get to know your students and involve all
• Involve all campus resources
– Multicultural affairs, TRiO, student organizations
• On campus visit programs
– Bus, plane, overnight

12. Effective Strategies for Recruiting
Underrepresented Students
• Scholarships/Financial Aid
• Communication Flows
• Off Campus Outreach
– HS Visits, Fairs, Churches, Community Festivals
• Access Groups
– OCAN, Upward Bound, IKIC, CYC, Gear UP, College
Now

13. Other Tips
• Find out if your institution has a diversity
plan/diversity statement
• Find out what your office/school does to
support diversity. Do you have goals?
• Attend conferences/Get involved
– Guiding the Way to Inclusion
– Multicultural Concerns Committee of OACAC

14. Any Questions/Comments/Concerns?
Best of Luck and Thank You!
Derek Brinkley
brinkleydd@xavier.edu
513-745-3886