Simmons CollegeDiversity Summary

Written by Krista Evans

Krista Evans

Hometown

Florence, AL

Major

Political Science/International Relations

View all previous student authors

Diversity is a tricky thing at Simmons, and the small size of the school can be deceiving. The population is open and welcoming to students of all backgrounds. The Diversity Committee watches over faculty and curriculum diversity, and Student Advisors on Multiculturalism is a student group concerned with educating students on other cultures and being respectful of others. Multicultural students are invited to a multicultural student open house during fall orientation. The ALANA (African-American, Latina, Asian, and Native American) association hosts awareness activities on campus to further the acceptance of difference on campus. Multicultural groups work hard to expose their peers to Asian Awareness Month, Black History Month, and Latino Heritage Month. Religious groups offer praying spaces, retreats for students, and even suggest a church or temple that might fit a student.

The cost of the College—although a significant amount of tuition can be covered by financial aid—often creates only a small group of people who can actually afford Simmons. Efforts have increased to make Simmons a more diverse and accepting community with the implementation of the FACES (First-year Appreciation of Cultural Experiences at Simmons) program. On the whole, Simmons is extremely accepting of differences: culturally, politically, religiously, and sexual orientation—no matter how small the population is statistically.