Diversity Educates Outside of the Classroom Walls

As I addressed the six Distinguished Alumni honorees on campus Oct. 10 for Old Dominion's annual Founders' Day celebration, I was asked if there was one particular memorable highlight for me since coming here in 1994.

Although I have often reflected on the many wonderful occurrences that have happened during my tenure at ODU, I had never considered the question that directly or that personally. Clearly, a number of academic and athletic events flashed through my mind, as did relationships with lots of terrific people - alumni, parents, students, elected officials, faculty, staff, board members, etc.

Since the question was raised at a breakfast gathering of 50 people, I couldn't very well sit down in a chair and contemplate for hours. But suddenly, it hit me.

We have a number of things we brag about at Old Dominion University, including our outstanding faculty, innovative teaching and cutting-edge research. But it is the profoundly multicultural nature of our campus that most of our students say is our most significant attribute.

I have taught a class almost every semester I have been at Old Dominion, from the undergraduate level Intro to Newswriting and Public Relations Case Studies to the graduate level School Community Relations and Politics. My classes have been offered in a traditional classroom setting, via TELETECHNET and now through a Web-based mode.

I was struck one night a few years back in one of my classes when I discovered I had students sitting with me from Vietnam, Venezuela, Vermont and Virginia Beach … and those were just the "V's!"

It perfectly illustrated why our students and faculty gain so fully from learning and working in the culturally rich environment that is Old Dominion University. Imagine the advantage when we learn and make decisions after considering the perspectives of people representing all 50 states and more than 80 nations, different ages, a variety of backgrounds and socioeconomic status, all political leanings, and more.

Multiculturalism and diversity mean many things to different people. But at Old Dominion University, we embody the truest, fullest sense of the words. And that night in class, I realized just how fortunate I was to be a part of something so significant.