Diversity Strong Among SDSU's New Freshman Class
SDSU ranks among top 20 universities nationwide for racial diversity
San Diego State University freshman Karine Mendez is an example of determination. A first-generation American, Mendez is the first in her family to attend college.
A 4.0 student of Mexican heritage, Mendez is also an example of the incredible diversity on the SDSU campus. She is one of 4,089 first-time freshmen, more than half (50.5 percent) of whom come from historically underrepresented ethnic groups, up from 49.3 percent last fall and 44.9 percent in fall 2007.
Visit www.sdsu.edu/diversity for more information. SDSU ranks No. 20 in the nation for campus racial diversity, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2010.” Campus-wide, more than 40 percent of SDSU undergraduate students are from historically underrepresented ethnic groups.
Why diversity is important
“Campus diversity at SDSU is a key component in developing culturally competent individuals,” said Aaron Bruce, SDSU Director of Diversity. “By creating opportunities for diverse student engagement, our graduates are better prepared to be successful leaders in a highly diverse workforce.”
In order to reward local high-achieving, economically challenged high school students, SDSU created the President’s Diversity Scholarship, which Mendez received.
These scholarships are just one of many initiatives that demonstrate the university's commitment to diversity and social justice, said Bruce, who was hired last year to address campus-wide strategies related to diversity and strengthen the university's connections to San Diego's diverse local and global communities.
The university continues to expand its outreach to diverse communities throughout the region as well. SDSU Super Sunday and Super Saturday College Fairs continue to build relationships with predominantly African American, local churches. Joining the CSU system, partnering with 73 churches throughout the state, students and families are exposed to workshops on financial aid, study abroad, and tips on how to get into college.
In addition, SDSU’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is the largest in the nation with more than 4,000 students. EOP is an undergraduate program that helps low-income and educationally disadvantaged students throughout their entire SDSU experience, including academic, career and personal counseling, and tutoring. Many of these students come from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
New diversity website
SDSU has launched a new website dedicated to diversity featuring a variety of diversity-related initiatives and information. Visit the new site at www.sdsu.edu/diversity.
