Multiculturalism & Division of Student Life

Multiculturalism is one of three strategic priorities within the Division of Student Life. The strategic priorities (leadership development, multicultural competence, and health/safety) share two common elements:

1. They are aligned with the services and programs of most or all the Division’s departments.
2. They are areas in which the Division is positioned to make a significant contribution to student success. Successful students develop skills and knowledge, become more mature in their thinking, assume greater responsibility for their own lives and learning, develop their understanding of diversity and multiculturalism, and become effective leaders.

 The Importance of Multiculturalism 

Multicultural competence is a 21st century skill. With an increasingly diverse student body, our ability to create a Division of Student Life environment that is inclusive and welcoming of all students is important now more than ever. We view our role, as Division staff members, as critical in helping students gain an understanding of multiculturalism. In order to optimize our effectiveness in facilitating student development in this area, we have committed, as a Division, to increasing staff multicultural knowledge, awareness, and skills. On a practical level, having multicultural knowledge, awareness, and skills enhances our ability to do our jobs and it better prepares our students to succeed in theirs. University of Iowa students today are graduating and entering a far more complex and diverse world than those of previous generations. Their ability to think critically about important problems such as poverty, economics, health and disease, and global relations is developed through academics paired with educationally purposeful experiences, such as living learning communities, student employment, student organization involvement, leadership, and social justice.