Diversity in Higher Education

Laredo Morning Times | lmtonline.com | Sunday, July 12, 2020 | E7 50th Anniversary For more information on TAMIU’s 50th anniversary, follow TXAMIU on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Spotify, use the hashtag #TAMIU50 and visit the school’s website at 50.tamiu.edu . On-Campus Multiculturalism Multiple organizations, courses and experiences also benefit from a diverse touch including Greek Life, language, religion, pop culture, LG- BTQ+, etc. All allow students of dif- ferent backgrounds to come together and learn more about each other through community service, person- al interests and cooperation. With a week dedicated to the di- verse world culture, a brilliant staff of experienced and multicultural educators and multiple opportuni- ties for students to travel the world, one may not need to travel outside the country but just visit their local university to experience the world. Whether it’s food, celebrations, mu- sic or art, working to understand any other culture is a benefit that will im- pact a person’s entire life. With 95% of Laredo’s population being Hispanic, the Black commu- nity is small, and Dr. Peter Haruna said he has helped increase aware- ness of other cultures by organizing activities around the campus as part of the TAMIU Intercultural Events and Education Committee. A c c o r d - ing to Haruna, the commit- tee works to commemorate each heritage month such as Black History Month, His- panic Heritage Month, Indig- enous Peo- ple’s History Month, Asian Pacific Ameri- can Heritage Month and Woman’s His- tory Month. “The idea is that even if our student body is not as di- verse as other campuses, our students are able to travel outside and to gain differ- ent perspec- tive which they can in turn share with the rest of the community when they come back,” Haruna said. During the month of November, TAMIU hosts multiple events to cel- ebrate and bring aware- ness to multiculturalism. Throughout the year, each heritage month is celebrated through mul- tiple presentations that invite students, staff and the community to learn more about different cultures. Events like the 2019 Mayan Archeoas- tronomy: Observers of the Universe are held at the university. So whether its on-campus orga- nizations, recreational activities or visiting a country far away, TAMIU is a Laredo hotspot for education and diversity. It is a place where one who strives to be a global citizen can thrive and anyone interested in a new perspective can participate. Courtesy of Yvette Garza Yvette Garza overlooks a cliff in Peru Dr. Peter Haruna