I just finished my last exam for the Winter term. Yay!
Courses, learning, professors – everything and everyone has been awesome. It’s amazing to look back and see how much you learn in just 2 months. Equally exciting at this time is to look around and see so many students buzzing with enthusiasm about the exotic places they are travelling to over the spring break. Before I hit the roads (/air?), I thought I would share something that has been close to my heart.
Before you proceed further, just take a few moments to reflect upon what the word ‘diversity’ means to you...
Recently, I've been paying close attention to all the attractive posters displayed around campus that share student and alumni perspectives on diversity. I was prompted to think about what diversity means for me. I first stumbled upon the thought that I personify diversity at Tuck through many different dimensions – as a female, married, brown person, South Asian, an engineer and more. For some time I comfortably convinced myself that I represented the minority. But after sleeping for a while on this thought, it dawned on me that diversity is a much broader concept. I realized that each and every individual around me personifies diversity – from my fellow students with diverse backgrounds to the security guard who drove me to Dick’s House the other day.
Every individual has a unique story about him/her that will enrich your understanding of life, if only you are willing to observe, associate and listen. That is the most beautiful way of connecting with and understanding a person.
Hence came my definition – diversity is about celebrating yourself and everyone around you.
I have experientially learned that being inclusive is a choice. And this choice defines who you are and what you will become. In the past 6 months, every day at Tuck has been exceptional – I have been overwhelmed, made uncomfortable, and challenged. All these experiences have made my learning and the journey more meaningful. Every student I have chatted with, regardless of demographic differences, expressed a similar satisfaction with their experience at Tuck. Appreciating diversity requires collaboration as a natural way of living. We, at Tuck, are very adept at that.
So, what do you think?