The importance of DIVERSITY by: Bridget Murphy

What is Diversity?  Definition: 1: differing from one another 2: composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities

Dimensions of Diversity Primary dimension Age Ethnicity Gender Physical abilities/qualities Race Sexual orientation Secondary dimension educational background geographic location income marital status military experience parental status religious beliefs work experiences

Diversity within URI  URI students hail from 42 U.S. territories and the District of Columbia and 57 countries.  65.8% of URI students come from Rhode Island (Followed by Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York).  On average, URI degree-seeking undergraduates are 21 years old (9 percent are 25 or older)  The most popular undergraduate major is Nursing - followed by Communication Studies, Psychology, Kinesiology, Human Development & Family Studies, Textile Fashion Merchandise & Design, and Bio Sciences.  55 percent of 2010 freshmen are Rhode Islanders.  63 percent of 2010 degree-seeking undergraduates are Rhode Islanders.  About 15% of URI female undergraduate student join sororities and 15% male undergraduate students join fraternities.  More than one half of URI freshmen (54%) live in the residence halls.

If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like this: rSDhlnm0e0&feature=related

61 Asians 11 Europeans 5 North Americans 9 Latin or South Americans 14 Africans 50 would be female, 50 would be male

6 people would possess 59 % of the entire world’s wealth and all 6 would be from the United States 80 would live in substandard housing 50 would suffer from malnutrition 12 would have a disability 18 would have cars 1 would be near death 2 would be near birth 12 would own a computer 7 would have access to the internet 53 would live on less than $2/day 18 would be unable to read or write 33 would have a cell phone 1 would have a college education 24 would have no electricity 76 would have electricity and most would use it only at night 82 would be non-white 18 would be white 33 would be Christian 20 would be Muslim 13 would be Hindus 6 would be Buddhists 2 would be Atheists 12 would be non-religious 14 would be from other religions 33 would not have access to a safe water supply 63 would have inadequate sanitation 89 would be heterosexual 11 would be homosexual

Diversity Name Game  Write your first, middle, and last name on the board  Tell the story behind each name -Is there a meaning behind each name? -Where did each name come from?  How does your name relate to your heritage? (Please elaborate! Stories are welcome )

Diversity Week Presentations  Make sure to sign up and attend a diversity week presentation! (it is part of your grade, and it broadens your perspective)  I am attending Rhode Island and the Slave Trade: Bringing History to Life -Multicultural center room 005 -Thursday Oct. 6 th -12:30-1:45pm Come join me if you’d like!