Diversity leads to valuable learning experience

As I walked around introducing myself last night, I felt as if I were experiencing orientation week for college all over again. We all followed the usual protocol: we shook hands, said our own names, tried to remember other people’s names, and then asked that all-important question: "Where are you from?"

Except this time around, I found myself hearing unfamiliar answers. Instead of California, New York, and Massachusetts – states that so many people from my school seemed to hail from – I met people from states such as South Dakota, Delaware and Montana. These were states that seemed foreign to me even though they’re in the same country.

It was then that I realized the incredible diversity that the Chips Quinn program embraces. Not only does the program look for people from many different races, it also looks for people from different geographic areas. The geographic diversity I encountered made me realize that the members of this program come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. By participating in this orientation, I will get to know people with entirely different perspectives. The diversity that this orientation offers will be a valuable learning experience that I will cherish.

-- Nicole Dungca, Brown University, The Providence (R.I). Journal