The incoming class of Ducks is the most diverse in the University of Oregon’s history, officials say. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, the returns follow several years of effort.
About a third of the class of 2020 is from a minority group, and 7 percent from a different country. This year, 3 percent of incoming students are African-American, the most ever at the school.
Roger Thompson is the Vice President of Enrollment at the U of O. He says recruiters have shown up at important cultural events and work with diverse communities to reach this milestone.
“We’ve been the primary sponsor of ‘Fiesta Mexicana’, the oldest Latino festival in the state of Oregon," says Thompson. "We do the same thing with ‘Good in the Hood’, which is a fantastic, predominately African-American community event in northeast Portland. Same thing with the Native American community in attending some of the pow-wows, different events that they have.”
Student organizations including the Black Student Task Force have called on the university to diversify the campus, to make it feel more welcoming.
Thompson adds it’s not enough to enroll a diverse bunch of students. Support services will help ensure this year’s Ducks graduate in four years.
For KLCC News, I’m Brian Bull.
