Expressions of Diversity

Six Willamette students share their feelings about diversity, thoughts on what it means to be students of color and insights into how well Willamette has recruited a diverse student body.

“From what I have witnessed, I think there is an effort by the majority of the student body to learn about their fellow classmates of color. I also think that many of the students who attend Willamette may have been raised in a setting where there was no exposure to people of different color, culture, tradition or economic class. Maybe their college experience is their time to discover and take in the diversity of the world they live in, which is wonderful.”

Lopaka Purdy ’05
Honolulu, Hawaii

“I think our campus is very diverse in the sense that we have people who come from all different backgrounds – ethnic, social, geographic and racial. Willamette does a very good job of recruiting a diverse class and retaining the students. I chose to come here simply because the people were nice, and Willamette made me feel that because of my diversity, I contribute a significant difference to the University. Although, if Willamette wants more students of color, they need to recruit a more diverse faculty so that the students will feel they have a mentor.”

Maria Ortiz ’03, MBA’05
Fresno, Calif.

“When I first came to Willamette, it wasn’t much of a culture shock for me. As more time went by, I realized how much diversity it lacked. Although it is making progress, I still feel like I need to watch how I behave and what I say because if I behave or say something in a wrong way, it will just add to the stereotypes that everyone already has of Mexican/Americans. I am glad to see that Willamette is making such an effort to diversify the campus more and I am very grateful to the Office of Multicultural Affairs for making that easier for everyone.”

Carmen Porras ’06
Independence, Ore.

“I am very aware that my behavior and interactions with people set precedents and are often used as crutches or excuses for why it’s ‘okay’ or ‘not okay’ to interact with African Americans – or why people feel safe or unsafe, intimidated or comfortable, engaged or not engaged when they meet a person of color. I want people to view me as a peer, student or friend first, rather than a black student or my black friend.”

Crystal Roberts ’04
Portland, Ore.

“I know our campus isn’t very diverse, but Willamette is doing a good job of making an effort to get more minority students. The students don’t make me feel like I’m the only Filipino here. I feel like I’m just another student, and that’s what I like about it. You hear stories about people judging others on the basis of race, but I’ve never experienced that.”

Mark Bangcaya ’05
Tacoma, Wash.

“Since my freshman year, I have definitely felt that I wore my ethnicity as my identity. It’s not ‘there’s Insil, another Willamette student’ but ‘there’s Insil, that Korean girl.’ It makes me different. It makes me noticed. … It is almost as though Willamette has taken the idea of a liberal arts education to all facets of campus, actively including the student body as part of the ‘classroom,’ but to the point of making the minority students stars for being a minority. Perhaps that proves that there is not a large enough presence of diversity on campus to make it less new and curious.”

Insil Kang ’04
Salem, Ore.