Duquesne is home to students from a variety of backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions. Presently, the University claims to have students from over 100 countries. For example, many students have noted the large number of Puerto Rican students on campus. Duquesne’s African American population, while still in the minority, is on the rise. Though students from a wide range of religions attend this university, the most popular religion found here, not surprisingly, is Catholicism. Most students agree on the lack of economic diversity at Duquesne. Considering the ever-rising cost of tuition here, most students come from middle- to upper-class backgrounds.
The issue of diversity brings out a mixed reaction among Duquesne’s students. Some feel the campus is diverse, but others feel it is simply a rich white school. However, the large international student body routinely expresses its appreciation of the welcoming atmosphere here. Little homosexual persecution exists among the students, though most homosexuals are not open about their sexual preferences. Finally, economic diversity—or the lack thereof—represents the most notable diversity issue among the student body. The majority of students here come from an upper-middle-class upbringing, so some tension may exist for those students of lesser financial backgrounds. For the most part, however, Duquesne’s students display tolerance and acceptance of their classmates, regardless of their ethnic, religious, economic, or sexual backgrounds.