Diversity Profile

Gettysburg is committed to diversity in the fullest sense of that term-promoting a wide range of ideas and working to foster mutual respect among people of every race, ethnicity, economic class, religious preference, gender, gender expression, physical ability, sexual orientation, and age. 

Understanding difference goes to the heart of a liberal arts education. It is our responsibility to prepare our students to be engaged citizens and effective professionals in a multicultural world. In their personal and professional lives our graduates will need to be able to interact well with a wide variety of people who come from a wide array of backgrounds, people of varying socioeconomic status, race, physical ability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs. A number of college programs are designed towards that end. For example, study abroad, service-learning, eRace, and our curricular goal of informed citizenship all provide opportunities for our students to gain an appreciation and understanding of different cultural perspectives. However, there can be no substitute for the learning that occurs when, during the course of their college careers, all students have the opportunity for everyday interaction with others who bring a diversity of perspectives. That kind of everyday learning requires Gettysburg College to become a more diverse community.

In addition to providing a stronger educational experience for our students, a more diverse community is essential for Gettysburg College to maintain a healthy student enrollment. A more diverse community will enrich the liveliness of our debates and conversations in our classrooms, our residence halls, and our dining hall. Though diversity does not ensure intellectual vibrancy, it certainly has the potential to challenge the College community in both intellectual and personal ways, to push us out of our comfort zones and to encourage us to think about the world in different ways.