When picking colleges, I scoured through the College Board pages countless times, thinking that maybe just maybe, I could learn something new or different from all the statistics I had practically memorized earlier. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill had a 28% out of state student population, the average SAT score at University of Maryland was just below 2000, and Penn State had a 52:48 male to female ration (don’t ask me why I remember this statistic in particular for some reason it just stuck in my brain). One statistic I always seemed to skip over was the pie chart of diversity. For some reason I never really considered the implications of such pie chart.

Upon recent inquiry (and by recent I mean as of two minutes ago) I have sought out that long forgotten pie chart.

I can’t say I am too surprised by the chart. 71% of our student body is white. In comparison, University of Maryland student body is 53% white. As a school in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania (which is already in the middle of nowhere if were being honest here), we are notorious for are apparent lack of diversity. Some people would even go as far as saying we have negative diversity. But in this regard, I would say people are being a bit harsh. Sure, Penn State is not exactly a multicultural hub. But diversity on campus, and in the State College area, does exist.

Take a look at student organizations. University Park has 78 organizations dedicated to promoting multiculturalism. While this might not seem like a lot, it is the fifth biggest category behind Academic Clubs, fraternities and sororities, sports, and special interest orgs. Many of these organizations have extensive membership, forming tight knit communities. My roommate, who is an exchange student born in Vietnam but from the Philippines, is part of the Vietnamese Student Association. I recently received an invitation from her for a fundraiser featuring eggrolls and fishball sticks. I can’t say I was too enticed by the sound of Fishballs, but I did stop by the fundraiser for some eggrolls (they were very good in case you were wondering).

But why is this important? Why is diversity in higher education so necessary? Diversity is essential for several different reasons. For one, diversity enriches education. Our education here is not based solely on what we read from textbooks or here from lecturers. Our education is just as much about the experiences we have here. Diversity on campus exposes individuals to experiences, beliefs, and perspectives that are perhaps different from our own. Schreyer is an excellent example of promoting diversity throughout our college experience. After all, the mission of Schreyer’s is to promote a global perspective. They strive to cultivate students that have an understanding for many different cultures, even if they differ from their own values and beliefs.

Diversity is also important on college campuses as it challenges preconceived stereotypes, promoting a healthy society. It encourages critical thinking and fosters lessons of effective communication between people of different backgrounds. This is incredibly important in this day and age, considering the globalization of almost every industry. No longer do we operate in our own sphere. In almost every industry, you will be in contact with people of varying backgrounds. The economy is far to globalized to think otherwise.

Finally diversity actually strengthens communities. Education within a diverse community prepares students to exist in the diverse environment they will likely be working in. It teaches us to evaluate individuals based off of the quality of their character and their contributions.

So what is Penn State doing to promote diversity on campus? Well for one thing, Penn State is highly receptive to international students. 10% of our student population are international students; University of Maryland only has a 3% international student population. I think this incredibly important as it introduces you to many different people. In my dorm, a lot of students are international; I have friends in my hall from Egypt, China, and Nigeria. I’m sure that people who live in the Globe have had the same experience. Meeting people with different backgrounds than yourself can alter your perspective drastically.

While it might be difficult to increase diversity on campus, I think it is something that the college should actively work towards. As the world grows more diverse, I feel as though campus will become more diverse as well. Until then, I encourage all students to be aware of multiculturalism, and reap the benefits of learning from different perspectives.

Today is March 24, 2015. I don’t know if you realize this, but we only have 6 short weeks until the end of our first year of college. I don’t know about you, but to me this is both amazing and bittersweet. I know I won’t miss the late nights, and the stress from weeks of test, but I will definitely miss all of the great friends I have made this year. However, there is one thing that is easing the pain of my first year coming to an end and that is my European Adventure this summer. I am lucky to say that this summer I will be studying in Ronda, Spain for 5 weeks beginning May 14^th (which means I only have 5 days from when I get back from college to when I leave for Spain—unpacking my college dorm and then packing for a trip abroad will be a miracle in itself).

So this week I decided to write about something a little bit different; multiculturalism in another country.

Now I imagine I will be much better versed on this topic once I return from Spain, but in preparation (and uncontrollable excitement) I have done quite a bit of research on Spain, and on the small town I will be staying in.

Ronda is a tiny little town located in southern Spain, with a population that hovers around 40,000 people.

My home for 5 weeks!!

Like most of Spain this city is rich with cultural history, as it has an impressive mix of influences from varying people dating all the way back to the Neanderthals. However the most significant cultural influence comes from Los Moros, or the Muslims. For those of you who don’t know much about Spain (which I’m assuming most don’t… I only know about it because of years of Spanish classes and this trip), the country was dominated by several catholic kingdoms. However, around 700 AD, the Moors overtook much of Northern Africa and Southern Spain. At the beginning of the ninth century, Moorish Spain was actually the gem of Europe with its capital city, Cordova, marking a period of intellectual and economic prosperity. The Moors held power for around 700 years, up until Catherine and Ferdinand expulsed the Moors in 1492.

Islam has had a huge influence over Spain, and a lot of that influence is still present today, especially in the area that I will be staying in. Would you be surprised to learn that unlike many of the other romance languages, Spanish is unique in the sense that it contains many words derived from Arabic, such as azúcar (sugar), aciete (oil) and naranja (orange). In addition to the Spanish language, Arabic influence can be seen in much of the architecture, food, and even economic industry’s, such as the cotton (algodon) industry and the silk industry.

While I am studying Spain, I will have the chance to visit perhaps one of the greatest examples of Islamic influence, which is embodied in La Alhambra. La Alhambra is a grand palace and fortress located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. Columns, domes, arches, and tiles are a hallmark of Islam influence, and are just some of the incredibly intricacies that the Alhambra is comprised of. The Alhambra is also known for its beautiful courtyards, pools and gardens, and is often times referred to as a “pearl in an emerald.”

While Spain enjoys a very multicultural history, today, much of Spain is not as diverse as some other European countries and the US. After reading several Study Abroad blogs, it seems as though a lot of students experienced extreme cultural shock, but were also surprised by what it felt like to be a minority. One girl in particular noted that oftentimes she felt people staring at her, as she had very light skin, and red hair, a combination that is often not present in Spain, especially in smaller towns. With somewhat dark hair and lighter skin, I’ll be very interested to see if I will face this same minority status. If so, it will certainly give me an interesting perspective on what it feels like to be a minority based solely on appearance. However, one thing is certain; I could not be more excited for my transatlantic adventures this summer as I am sure it is something I will remember forever.

Multiculturalism is a difficult topic, mainly because of the vagueness of the word. There is no one definition of multiculturalism, and as a result it can bare a wide range of reactions. Some note the bad aspects, while others cling to the good. While it is important to recognize different cultures, at what point in time is it considered detrimental to the unity of the country? After all, if you are an American citizen, shouldn’t you identify yourself as an American? Does it make sense to live in a country that you don’t consider your home?

I can’t really answer any of these questions because I don’t know what it is like to move to a different country. However, some people that oppose certain aspects of multiculturalism argue that it can cause unnecessary friction within our country. How can we remain a cohesive country if we don’t speak a common language? Does it foster tension among groups of citizens? Does it undermine our ability to work cohesively in protection and defense? These of course are all the most negative and dramatic side effects of multiculturalism. For the past 200 years, we clearly have managed to operate one united country of people from all sorts of backgrounds.

In the past multiculturalism was defined by immigrants. It was defined by waves of people coming through Ellis Island, later being shuffled off to New York and New Jersey. From there people created their own new worlds, clustered in groups of Italians American, Jewish American, and Chinese Americans. Newly immigrated kids went to school and were taught to be reverent to the flag and to pledge their allegiance to a united nation. But a white majority remained.

Yet as our country has continued to diversify, a new question has risen. What is America’s new cultural identity? Can it even be defined?

As America experiences a rapid explosion of growth, we need to reevaluate our thoughts on American Identity. Places like the suburbs of DC and Northern Virginia are acting as a model for what most places will look like in the coming decades. These locations are leading in diversity. According to USA today, since the 1990s, hundreds of thousands of Hispanics and Asians have moved to the area, accounting from 32% of the population. Black Americans account for another 12%. In 20 to 30 years, it is estimated that America will no longer be a white majority but a Minority Majority.

While it can be hard to agree on an American identity, there are some aspects of American multiculturalism that our country was founded on that still apply today. One thing that comes to mind is federalism. If you can recall way back to AP US Government and Politics in high school, you might remember reading the federalist papers. The premise of federalism supports a decentralized government. In a way Federalism encouraged a division of cultures, to which each should retain their own cultures because it allowed for individual states to maintain legality, making it easier to account for various cultures that may have existed within a certain state. Another basic American right that comes to mind is the value of religious freedom. I’m sure you learned in middle school that one of the main reasons for immigrating to America was to escape religious persecution. This obviously resulted in an influx of immigrants, and lends itself to the idea of multiculturalism, as multiculturalism extends too many cultures that oftentimes practice many different religions.

These American values provide an explanation as to why multiculturalism has flourished in America; religious tolerance and federalism allow people to live without sacrificing or hiding beliefs; it has drawn people in without forcing them out, or exiling them; it has fostered an understanding for others, in a world where we are more and more likely to experience people of different backgrounds.

When writing this post, I found myself asking several different questions that I myself couldn’t really answer, nor did I know how to pose these questions in my blog, but I really am curious and would love to hear your thoughts on these last questions?

1. Is multiculturalism defined racially or ethnically? When the white majority is mentioned, does this include people of European background, Jewish backgrounds etc?
2. Will we ever be able to separate race from ethnicity? Is it necessary to?

“The state or condition of being multicultural.”

“The policy of maintaining a diversity of ethnic cultures within a community.”

“The preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.”

“The co-existence of diverse cultures, where culture includes racial, religious, or cultural groups and is manifested in customary behaviors, cultural assumptions and values, patterns of thinking, and communicative styles.”

So what exactly is Multiculturalism?

Clearly, there is no one definition of multiculturalism. It can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. The first thing that comes to mind when I hear “multiculturalism” is the classic “melting pot.” For ages school teachers in classrooms across the nation taught their students that America is a massive slew of cultures all mixed together into one singular America. This is what my dad was taught, this is what my mom was taught, this was even what my siblings were taught, although only a few years older than myself.

Sometime between my sixth grade history class, and my sister’s class, America became a salad bowl rather than a melting pot. The reasoning behind changing these clever cooking analogies is due to the connotation of the aforementioned cooking techniques. A melting pot insinuates that all the ‘ingredients’ are thrown into a big ole pot, and melted together. And while this is an excellent technique when cooking an award winning chili, it does not accurately reflect the many cultures that exist in our country. If the cultures are melted together, that would mean each culture would lose their respective flavors. You would no longer taste the distinctive Indian curry or the chili peppers of South America or the basil leaves of the Mediterranean.

So rather, my teacher introduced us to the salad bowl, where all the flavors live in harmony while retaining their distinctive flavors. You have your red peppers, your tomatoes, your chickpeas, your dried fruit, all tossed together to make a tasty dish, and an excellent analogy to describe ethnic multiculturalism in the United States.

Now, this whole salad bowl analogy made a lot of sense to me, as I grew up in an area that was relatively diverse (or from what I hear at least more diverse than the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania). Growing up in the suburbs of the Nations capitol, I had many different ‘first generation’ friends from a wide range of cultures—Egyptian, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Nigerian, Dominican. Listening to their stories, I was always intrigued, and perhaps a bit jealous. My ancestors can be traced back to pre-civil war America; essentially my personal salad bowl is straight up iceberg lettuce, with a slight dash of salt and pepper to reflect my Irish Catholic roots; needless to say I envied the different flavors of their cultures. Years passed, and more and more students were introduced to the concept of a salad bowl.

A visual representation of my cultural diversity

I remember one day in particular, my entire family had gathered to celebrate my grandpa’s birthday. Various conversations filled the room. As per usual the topic of ‘what have you been learning in school’ came up. When it was my cousin’s turn to speak, she mentioned the salad bowl analogy, which must have been a new concept for the older generations because her reply was met with several disgruntled “’umf’s” and “’but I was taught it was a melting pot’s!” I was incredibly surprised when my mother spoke about the topic. She acknowledged that while cultural identity was important, she believed that it was important to embrace American culture. She emphasized assimilation, and how if you were going to immigrate to this country, you should make an effort to embrace American values and norms.

But what even is American culture? Is it hamburgers and French fries, Sunday morning church, and Friday night football under the lights? Some might refer to this ideal as mainstream American culture, or the America that is represented in picturesque small town movies, yet this is certainly not everyone’s America. After All, America is a country of immigrants; sure in the beginning, most immigrants were white European, but waves of immigration have created a diversity that is unseen in any other part of the world. The idea of promoting total assimilation would result in the loss of what makes America unique. Think of all the iconic places that have been created as a result of multiculturalism—Chinatown, the Spanish Harlem, Little Saigon in San Francisco, the list goes on.

While I believe similar backgrounds and traditions can unify a county, I think it is equally as important that we preserve the many different aspects of the people that come to live in this country.

I know that with a lot of my friends, they often struggle to find the balance between “American” culture and the culture their parents were raised in. I can remember one of my Chinese friends complaining about her mother because she made her attend Chinese school for 4 hours every Saturday. I can remember my Egyptian friend packing stuffed grape leaves for lunch. One of the coolest parties I ever attended was my friend Sreelekha’s Sweet sixteen. She had the typical photo-booth, DJ, dance floor set-up that was a staple for sweet sixteen parties at the time, but she also infused some really cool aspects of her Indian culture. Her and her sister preformed several amazing choreographed dances, donning vivid saris and meticulous henna’s over the course of the night. One thing that I distinctly remember was her parents showing us the food: a gorgeous array of traditional Indian cuisine. Her parents very quickly realized that I obviously had no idea what any of the food was, and without missing a beat told me with a chuckle, “Don’t worry there is Mac and Cheese, and Pizza on the other table” (PSA I tried all the dishes and loved pretty much everything, aside from the super spicy food). Sreelekha obviously showed that you can balance both American culture and her parent’s culture quite well, as did all of my other friends.

So what has your experience been with the whole melting pot v.s. salad bowl?

Or would you pick an entirely different cooking analogy?