The document discusses the importance of diversity at Villanova University. It states that Villanova recognizes diversity as integral to the learning experience and wants the community to be increasingly diverse in terms of culture, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, and religious traditions. The university commits to cultivating an environment that is curious about different perspectives, receptive to knowledge from intercultural connections, and sensitive to a variety of human experiences globally. The document emphasizes that everything done at the university should send a clear message that all people are welcome.

1. Diversity

2. Villanova Diversity Statement
In support of the University’s mission,
Villanova will be a community of men
and
women increasingly diverse in culture,
ethnicity, race and socioeconomic
status
and welcoming to individuals of diverse
religious traditions.

3. Villanova Diversity Statement
Villanova University, as a Catholic Augustinian institution
of higher education, recognizes diversity as
an integral component of the teaching and learning
experience and an essential element of the ongoing
intellectual, social and spiritual development of every
member of the Villanova community. Accordingly,
Villanova University will be a diverse community.
We commit ourselves to cultivating an academic
environment marked by genuine curiosity about
different perspectives, ardent receptivity to knowledge
generated through intercultural connections
and genuine sensitivity to the variety of human
experiences marked by domestic and global differences.

4. Villanova Diversity Statement
Everything we do as a
University should send a
clear message that
“all are welcome here”.

5. Diversity and You!
 Diversity is defined as acknowledging,
understanding, accepting, valuing, and
celebrating differences among people
with respect to age, class, ethnicity,
gender, physical and mental ability,
race, sexual orientation, spiritual
practice, and public assistance status.
 Numerous benefits to embracing
diversity.

6. Diversity and You!
Roadblocks Ways to Overcome
Biases Recognizing that they exist;
willingness to move beyond
Stereotypes Bias-free, inclusive
communication
Prejudices Understanding and
sincerely caring about how
you affect others
Not wanting to get involved

7. Diversity and You!
 Stereotyping and its Effects:
 Stereotypes have 3 characteristics:
 They imply that all people in the group are the same. “You
know how men are.”
 They contain a judgment. Notice that the judgment often
reveals more about the stereotyper’s beliefs or expectations
than it does about the stereotyped individual. “Young people
today don’t have a good work ethic.”
 Stereotypes are fairly inflexible.
 By seeing all people in a group as the same, you deny people
their individuality.
 You distort your own ability to get a clear view about the person in
question leading you to prejudge or misjudge others.
 Stereotyping is often demeaning and offensive; you are treating
the person as less valuable limiting THEIR opportunities.

8. Diversity
There are two dimensions of diversity;
 Primary dimensions, which are factors that
are born to us.
Primary dimensions would include
age, sex, race, skin- color and other things we
have absolutely no control over.
 Secondary dimensions, which are learned.
Secondary dimensions include
education, religion, socioeconomic
status, geographic location, etc…

9. Diversity
Our country’s demographic make up is
becoming increasingly more diverse.
Which means our workforce is also
more diverse.
So lets honor and appreciate the new
workforce.

10. Diversity
We must also deal appropriately with
various cultural differences such as
religious holidays or rituals; language
barriers and training.
Everyone has something of value to
offer, if we can just take the time to
learn about each another.

11. Race:
Refers to genetic or biologically
based similarities among
people which are
distinguishable and unique and
function to mark or separate
groups of people from one
another.
(Race is less biological…more
political, social)

12. Ethnicity:
Refers to a wide variety of
groups who might share a
language, historical origins,
religion, identification with a
common nation-state, or
cultural system.

13. Culture:
A learned set of shared
interpretations about
beliefs, values, and norms,
which affect the behaviors
of a relatively large group of
people.

14. “Seek first to understand,
then to be understood.”Steven
Covey