This study sought to understand how post-secondary students experience
and process issues of diversity, to discover what those views of diversity are, and
how those views might change. The two issues that participants felt most strongly
about were homosexuality and scholarships for students of color. Their views on
homosexuality ranged from admitted homophobia, to ambivalence, to tolerance, to
full acceptance. Religion seemed to play a part among those who were ambivalent,
but not for those who were homophobic. Views were not static, but shifted
depending on the circumstances. A participant who might object to a homosexual
serving in the military might have no problem having a homosexual as a neighbor.
Regarding scholarships for students of color, some of the 27 White students
agreed that this was fair, while others seemed to resent the idea and questioned its
need. Two of the four multi-racial students were somewhat sympathetic to the
latter view. A high degree of acceptance on one diversity issue did not necessarily
mean high acceptance on other issues. A participant who advocated for gays to
have equal admittance and acceptance in the military was against scholarships for
students of color.
Participants' views were most influenced by their personal experiences.
Interventions such as coursework, workshop, panel presentation, and social contact
seemed to have a less influence than personal experiences. Those pivotal moments,
as discussed by Young Y. Kim, seemed to have caused stress, adaptation, and
growth, which resulted in a greater awareness of an issue, of themselves, and of
others. The rejection of experiences and interventions might be explained by
encapsulation, as proposed by C. Gilbert Wrenn. Encapsulated individuals seem to
choose to reject information or experiences that might challenge their views. The
implication for educators is to provide more opportunities for students to have
personal experiences involving diversity that might lead to pivotal moments.
Thirty-one undergraduates at a small, liberal arts university in the Pacific
Northwest were interviewed three times over an average of seven weeks. All had
participated in a nationally known diversity workshop and had also participated in
regular courses that addressed diversity issues. / Graduation date: 2002
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/32385 |
| Date | 04 June 2001 |
| Creators | Versluis, Diana Omura |
| Contributors | Suzuki, Warren |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Page generated in 0.0019 seconds