Possible Diversity Statement

danielznelson

The consensus is that just about everyone is able to come up with a topic that warrants a diversity statement. In only rare cases is there a cookie cutter profile that just doesn't have a single iota of diversity in its repertoire. I am all but thoroughly convinced that I am one of those rare cases and I suppose I could ironically be diverse in this sense. But I was a first-gen college graduate; my dad tried college before having to drop out a semester later due to finances. My mom went to adult college when I was a pre-teen but never finished. I'm the oldest in my family and was the first of anyone in my family to graduate, though my younger sister did graduate the following year.

I did not have any financial issues during college, nor did I have any upon graduating. Getting into college wasn't a struggle for me like it was for my parents. Both my mom and dad clearly wanted their kids to attend college and to in general live a life that they were unable to live.

While I was fortunate enough to practically trip and fall into a 4-year undergraduate program, I definitely viewed myself and my potential in a harmful light. My mentality throughout high school and throughout most of college was that I obviously wasn't a genius; therefore, I shouldn't bother striving to achieve a 4.0 or to stand out from the rest, and I think being a first-gen graduate played a significant role in this. There are of course more details to this than just that, but what do you all think of me having been a first-gen graduate, albeit an unremarkable one? Is this workable for a diversity statement, or am I stretching way too far here?

stepharizona

Not all, I think @"Nicole Hopkins" might be able to chime in here.

A first time grad is something that makes you diverse, we all have things that made us into who we are and how we got to this point. Ultimately, that is what the diversity statement is about.

danielznelson

@"Nicole Hopkins" was actually the cause of this idea, haha. And thanks for the input.