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Though it may not be the most diverse campus in the world, Duke does have a large and thriving community of students from almost every ethnic background. Sometimes these "diverse" groups self-segregate (particularly through race-specific clubs or Greek organizations), but, on the whole, the ethnically and geographically diverse student body meshes well.
Economic diversity at Duke is a bit of a different story. In this regard, the Duke population is noticeably homogenous. The majority of students hails from the upper-middle class, as evidenced by the rich, preppy style sported by many on campus. This is not to say that everyone owns a yacht, plays golf and squash at a country club, and will come into a trust fund at graduation, nor that students are obnoxious and eager to show off their wealth—but you will want to be aware of this social makeup before you come to Duke.
cascade
Psychology '12
Attempts at Diversity Are Respectable
Easy for minority groups to self-segregate, but school offers many programs/events to increase awareness of diversity.
Apr 04, 2012
destintisher
Film and Video Studies '15
Diverse to a Degree
Lots of sexual diversity, and racial diversity, too, but people seem to stick to their own kind with their friendships.
Jan 08, 2012
christianpanda93
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering '15
So Many International Students
There are so many international students in every class. On top of that, they are international students from literally all over the place.
Oct 31, 2011
The gay scene is not very visible at Duke, but gays are certainly not singled out for persecution. A recent campaign for gay acceptance, involving T-shirts reading "Love is Love," was met with an enthusiastic response, as students across campus lined up to get the shirts; the 2,000 shirts ordered quickly ran out.
Duke, like most universities, has a strong liberal streak, but conservatives have made their voices heard, as well. There are a variety of political organizations on campus that are populated by a significant percentage of the student body. Students advocate for a wide range of political causes, and the University regularly schedules guest political speakers, which are usually very well attended. For example, in 2010, more than 1,000 tickets to see Al Gore lecture sold out in a matter of minutes.
The Duke student body is definitely upper-middle class. Even those who use financial aid usually manage to look well-off. There are, of course, people from a variety of economic backgrounds, but you wouldn't think it in your first glance of campus. Duke is clearly image-conscious.
The spires of Duke University Chapel dominate the West Campus view, and in the basement of the Chapel, Duke's Religious Life Center funds and promotes many of the religions most prominent on campus. The most popular faiths are Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. The Freeman Center for Jewish Life provides a location for Jewish activities and kosher dining, and Duke University Chapel hosts services for a wide array of denominations every week.
Duke has a number of thriving minority clubs, which put on astounding cultural programs each year. Perhaps one of the most active is SAASA, the South Asian-American Student Association, which involves most of the South Asian students on campus. The ASA (Asian Students Association) is also a vibrant part of the community.
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