How Diversity In The Workplace Benefits All Students by Jamie

How Diversity In The Workplace Benefits All Students by Jamie - June 2018 Scholarship Essay

Growing up in a small town in Mid-Michigan, there was little to no diversity among the population. According to recent research, the high school I attended consists of 89% Caucasian students, 6% Hispanic, 1% African-American, and 1% Asian. These percentages are too low for non-Caucasian students and can lead to several problems in the community, including prejudice and discrimination against the underrepresented population. Learning how to prevent these problems, should be required for all students.

In high school, I was more of a fly on the wall, observing my fellow peers’ behavior towards each other. I believe people watching is absolutely fascinating, and yet, disheartening. I constantly witnessed the Caucasian students gaining up on the diverse students. The Hispanics students were always left out of groups and activities, leading to that 6% to all just stick together rather than branch out and engage. The one African-American male in my graduating class was teased a lot from his so-called “friends”. He would always try to brush it off, but one can tell it stung him a little bit more each time. Even with the little diversity my high school had to offer, we still could’ve learned something from one another. Instead the culture was pushed aside and everything about diversity and culture was learned from books, even when the real-life experiences, were right in front of us.

Walking into the high school, one can tell there is little diversity and the little diversity we had, was not embraced. However, I graduated, now instead of walking into the high school every day, I walk into my college courses, or my office job. Walking into either one these, diversity is all around. I had no idea how to embrace and celebrate it. Sometimes I would struggle talking to others who were different than me, not knowing if I what I said would be accurate or if my words would cross a hidden line and be offensive towards others. I walked on glass with everyone I met. This all changed my second semester of college when I signed up for the elective class, “Diversity in the Workplace”.

It has been proven several times that a more diverse workplace is a more productive workplace. People from all different backgrounds and experiences coming together to share ideas is the best work environment one can be a part of. Students in the course who learn this can promote diversity in their future workplace, thus making the workplace more productive and more powerful.

When this class was offered to me, I was shocked it was not a require class. Almost every student before or after they graduate will work with others who are different than them. Every student needs to learn the different between prejudice and discrimination, how to spot either of them among co-workers, and how to put an end to it. I believe students who will be future CEO’s one day need to know how to make their company diverse and discrimination-free. Most of all, I believe every student, as future workers, need to learn how to put differences aside so we all can be treated as equals in the workplace.

I truly believe Diversity in the Workplace should be a required class for every student. It not only solves several workplace and communication problems, it also gives the student a more open mind to the world and the culture it has to offer.