U administrators aimed to recruit a diverse population of students Wednesday at a multicultural dinner for underrepresented high school seniors.
U President Michael Young said having a diverse student body is part of the U’s priority to give students a superior education.
“[Diversity] gives our students the chance at a better education,” he said.
The U earns no material reward for having a diverse campus, only the satisfaction of helping students from diverse backgrounds, according to Senior Vice President Dave Pershing.
“We don’t receive any federal funds due to diversity at the U…It would be illegal to do so,” Pershing said.
The main focus of the dinner is to bring diverse students to the U, added Rebecca Call, a representative from the student recruitment office.
“[The dinner] absolutely helps students and parents become familiar with the campus and meet other students from diverse backgrounds as well,” she said.
The banquet gives students the opportunity to get information about the U, said Alta High School senior Miranda Metekingi.
“I had some questions about what I have to do to get into the U because I am not a U.S. citizen,” Metekingi said. “It is really good to have something like this so people can ask questions.”
Debra Daniels, a speaker at the event and member of the U’s Women’s Resource Center, said events like the multicultural dinner are very important and help a lot of students.
“I think I can probably in some areas relate to these students because I am from Utah and am ethnically diverse,” she said. “I wish they would have had these events years ago,”
Tony Shirley, a representative from the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs, said many diverse high school students are overlooked because of their background and culture.
“Many are told they would be better off going to a technical school or two year community college,” he said. “It really limits their potential.”
Young added that it is imperative for the U to represent the diverse culture living in the state of Utah.
“This U is very interested in making sure it reflects the community it’s in,” he said. “We live in an increasingly diverse state and it should be reflected at our university.”