The purpose of this study was to explore the essence of diversity experiences of some
undergraduates on a private, religiously-affiliated university. Sixteen undergraduates from a
Midwestern private, religiously affiliated university were interviewed and described their
diversity experiences. The key components of their experiences revealed five emergent themes:
Types of diversity experiences, Forms of diversity experiences, Influence of previous context,
Benefits of diversity experiences, and Faith issues regarding diversity experiences. These overarching
themes were viewed through van Manen’s (1990) notion that phenomenological themes
may be defined as the structures of experience. This examination of a progression or flow of the
themes explained how the following progression or flow worked within a system of contextually
related experiences to help bring about benefits of student and faith development within the
participants’ educational lives.
The progression began when forms of diversity experiences enabled different types of
diversity experiences to take place in the undergraduates’ lives. In turn, the dynamics created
within those types of diversity experiences instigated critical reflection of the participants’
previous context and previous held beliefs and values. This process of reflection/critical thinking enabled personal reassessment/transformation to take place as the benefits of diversity
experiences produced life change within the undergraduates’ lives. In sum, the progression or
theme flow enabled significant individual student and faith development to take place as a result
of diversity experiences within the undergraduates’ educational lives.
Embracing van Manen’s (1990) concept of themes defining the structure of experiences
may allow the progression or flow of themes to provide the possibility for colleges/universities to
chart an intentional course along that progression directed towards achieving the positive
benefits that diversity experiences can bring to undergraduates’ within their educational lives. / Department of Educational Studies
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:123456789/194611 |
| Date | 18 December 2013 |
| Creators | Daniels, Rolland E. |
| Contributors | Mulvihill, Thalia M. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
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