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Who We Are: Our Diverse Community

Maybe you’ve wondered if you’ll fit in at BU—if you’re the “BU type.”

It won’t take you 10 minutes on campus to notice that there is no BU type. Our students come from 50 U.S. states, over 100 countries and a myriad of ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. We welcome diversity and celebrate it through hundreds of multicultural organizations and events.

But diversity means more to us than where you come from, what you look like and what language you speak. It’s also about how you think, what you believe and who you want to be. As a student here, you’ll find lots of people who share your background and interests. But day in and day out, you’ll also meet people and hear ideas unlike any you’ve encountered before.

Because of our academic breadth in both the liberal arts and professional programs, Boston University attracts students with an enormous range of talents and perspectives. Our undergraduates are on their way to becoming scientists and educators, artists and engineers, doctors and entrepreneurs. Since they all have the freedom to take classes in any of our schools and colleges, you could find yourself in a classroom where every student is on a different career path.

This mix of experiences and viewpoints can broaden almost any dialog.  Imagine what it brings to a debate on political science or economics. Think of the possibilities for discussions of literature, music or international business law.

Then there’s our faculty, as intellectually diverse as they are distinguished. You might take a physics course taught by a Nobel laureate or learn reporting from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. You could discuss business strategies with a former CEO or debate current events with a former politician. In every case, you’ll broaden your understanding of the real world as well as the specific subject matter.

Apart from academics, being part of such a diverse community jump starts a learning process you can only get from life itself—one that’s essential to become a truly educated citizen of the planet. It will challenge you to examine your notions of race, class, ethnicity and origin. Give you the chance to discover for yourself what you really think and believe. Help you develop lifelong skills for engaging with all kinds of people.

We’re proud of the fact that Boston University has one of the most diverse student populations in the country. Because we think—and our students seem to agree—it’s a key advantage of attending BU.