Throughout history, the United States of America has often been described as a “melting pot,” meaning a place where many different types of people blend together to form one, unified nation. If this description of the United States is accurate, it is crucial to ensure that all of these different individuals are able to live in harmony with one another. This is especially true at the collegiate level of education. In the last few decades, liberal arts colleges have made it their mission to increase diversity on their campuses. Diversity comes in several forms, particularly class-based and racial. This undertaking is one that should be prioritized at colleges across the country. There is significant evidence that diverse college campuses produce stronger, more intelligent individuals. With diversity come enhanced social development, stronger critical thinking skills, and heightened self-awareness. These features produce stronger individuals, thus strengthening the community at large.
With a more diverse student body, there is a higher chance that students will interact with people of different backgrounds. This type of interaction will improve social development for students, as students are provided with the opportunity to expand their circle of friends. Whether or not an individual utilizes that opportunity is up to them. When looking at improving diversity on a
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Being around those who are different makes it easier for individuals to determine who exactly they are or who they hope to be. In his essay on community, Amitai Etzioni argues, “the good society seeks to cultivate only a limited set of core virtues than a thick set of values” (9). In the community that is a college campus, students each have their individuality. But being a student at college means entering a community. For the most part, colleges have a code of behavior that they expect students to