Contributions to diversity enhancement at the College of Charleston

¶ … advance for your courtesy and consideration of my goal to become enrolled in the College of Charleston. I am a hard-working, ambitious and intellectually motivated person and I give you my full assurance that I can make a very positive contribution to your campus community.

The question I am asked to address is, "How will I significantly contribute to the efforts to enhance diversity at the College of Charleston?" First of all, I live near the college and I feel as though I belong here. I am Chinese, and I come from a country of 1.3 billion people; there are 56 official ethnic groups within the borders of China, including the Han ethnicity, which makes up more than 90% of the nation. To state briefly, people coming to the United States from China already have an understanding for and a respect for cultural and ethnic diversity.

Secondly, I have migrated to the United States because I have a compelling desire to embrace and experience the political, social, cultural and economic advantages of a respected democracy founded on freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to become whatever one wishes to become within the context of cultural diversity.

And I understand that in order to received the greatest benefit from the American democracy one should become an active participant in this democracy, and I fully intend to immerse myself in activities and organizations that will afford me the opportunity of full participation. For me, giving comes naturally, and while I enjoy receiving, I feel more fulfilled and complete when I am able to make a contribution to my community through unselfish giving.

Thirdly, I would very much like to become part of a campus that has as its core value cultural and ethnic diversity. I am very impressed with the College of Charleston's programs of multicultural awareness, and the attention the college pays to cooperation and education regarding the need for all students to respect each other and relate positively to one another.

I would very much like to become involved in programs such as "Communities Connecting for Change: A Social Justice Project," and the "Social Justice Conference 2008," in which topics important to me - human rights, economic justice, climate change, gender & sexuality, immigration, labor and religious issues - are presented in an open academic forum.

The Center for Cultural Diversity is of great interest to me as I have a strong desire to not only make a contribution, but to learn as much as I can about the role that citizens are playing in the global community, and how students here in Charleston can have a positive impact on people in the far corners of the world who are struggling to survive, or suffering from diseases.