Asian Americans And The Benefits Of Campus Diversity: What The Research Says

Abstract

A key argument for affirmative action is that college students benefit from engagement in a racially diverse student body. Because many students have few meaningful experiences with diversity prior to college, exposure to divergent viewpoints and perspectives is an essential part of spurring student growth and development. Engagement with diversity is also an important part of preparing students to be leaders in a diverse democracy and to participate in an increasingly competitive and global economy. However, is there evidence that Asian Americans college students themselves specifically benefit from engagement with diversity? This research brief examines the existing empirical work regarding benefits associated with diversity for Asian American college students. In this review of the literature, most of the studies referenced are empirical analyses of national, longitudinal datasets