Diversity on Campus

Before I arrived at Penn, I had little idea what to expect. I had only visited campus briefly, and had no real sense of the social life and what my peers would be like. I could feel the imposter syndrome quickly creeping in. I was pleasantly surprised to find not only many people who shared in many parts of my identity, whether that was my nationality, ethnicity, language, and interests, as well as to be warmly welcomed and accepted by those with whom I had little in common as well. The atmosphere on campus is a lively one, and students are not only happy and excited to be here, but frequently collaborative and engaged with each other, both inside and outside of the classroom.

A huge part of this environment is due to the rich diversity that exists on campus, with people from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences making up the student population. Such diversity not only makes campus all that more welcoming for minority groups such as my own, but also encourages us to step out of our comfort zone and grow through the exposure to new ideas, perspectives, and experiences. Safe to say, my time at Penn has been an amazing one, and not only am I glad that I made the choice to come here, but I will miss and rejoice the time I have spent here surrounded by some of the best scholars, faculty, people, and friends in the world. 

-Humberto C.