Like many colleges (especially liberal arts schools), Colorado College makes it a point to emphasize the importance of diversity on campus. Although there is a lot of diversity at CC, it is perhaps not the smörgåsbord of skin colors and ethnicities that the CC administration might wish it were. At first glance, the typical perception of CC is that it’s a very white, rich school. In fact, though a large portion of the population is white, not everyone is rich. Many students receive financial aid, and this mix of socioeconomic backgrounds helps to lessen the homogeneity that would otherwise exist at CC.
In addition, although there is certainly a norm for every category, there are significant numbers of non-American, non-white, non-atheist, non-straight, and non-liberal students on campus. Many students still feel insulated, perhaps because they choose to engage in activities (such as skiing) that are particular to their upper-middle-class white background. It sometimes seems as though students would only be satisfied with diversity on campus if people of other colors were constantly coming up to them to discuss their beliefs.
The reality is that the student body at CC has a huge diversity of backgrounds, interests, and aspirations. There are all sorts of different kinds of people on campus, and it is only when people step outside of the bubble that they themselves create what they can begin to appreciate. The school’s population is generally accepting and encouraging of diversity, and the flow of a wide array of thoughts and ideas, especially in the classroom, is one of the most attractive aspects of the CC community. Beliefs and opinions, be they political, religious, or otherwise, generally enjoy an open, interested environment. Attracting a wide variety of students is something that CC manages; being able to afford to keep all of them is the challenge the school faces.