According to a study conducted each year by U.S. News and World Report, Oklahoma Christian University has a diversity index of .38.
The formula produces an index ranging from 0 to 1 and does not include undergraduate international students on any campus. The purpose of the study is to “identify colleges where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own. U.S. News factors in the total proportion of minority students—leaving out international students—and the overall mix of groups.”
Oklahoma Christian’s demographic book for fall enrollment suggests 75 percent of non-international students are Caucasian while 25 percent of students are minorities. According to Gary Jones, multicultural and service learning coordinator, this data is not surprising.
“I think it’s a trickle-down effect, a top-down issue,” Jones said. “We currently do not have any ethnic minorities in administration. We do not have any ethnic minorities as department chairs or deans. So, I think because students don’t see it mirrored in faculty, staff and administration, it makes it difficult for them to attract students. I think the other part is Oklahoma Christian doesn’t have a long historical reputation for being a place that is a go-to for the minorities.”
U.S. News and World report also provides the diversity index of schools comparable to Oklahoma Christian. Other Church of Christ affiliated schools, such as Harding University and Abilene Christian University, have indexes of .22 and .51. Oklahoma Baptist University, a geographically similar Christian school, has an index of .45. The University of Central Oklahoma, also located in Edmond, OK, has a diversity index of .58.
“I think in comparison to the schools around us, we aren’t doing a great job,” Jones said. “We’re doing a job but it’s not a great job. For instance, I’m a department of one. I think some of the programming I do helps—things like History Speaks and the civil rights movement trip and organizing student groups—but I have to tell myself, ‘Something is better than nothing,’ although I know it’s not anywhere near where it needs to be.”
According to Joanna Stewart, member of the multicultural committee for SGA and executive secretary of the Black Student Union (BSU), her goal is to create a welcoming environment on campus.
“From the diversity committee perspective, when I look at [Oklahoma Christian’s diversity index], I want to somehow create a community that seems more welcoming to people that we’re not reaching,” Stewart said. “It makes me want to strive to be better in creating a community on campus that seems appealing to minorities.”
The Black Student Union (BSU) is one of the only groups on campus to promote diversity and discuss racial topics. According to Stewart, the BSU’s goal is larger than creating a platform for the black community.
“From my perspective, part of BSU’s purpose is to create a community and a platform for the black students that attend Oklahoma Christian,” Stewart said. “With that comes the goal of a diverse campus. When you are such the minority in a place, it is nice to have that community aspect, but I think with the BSU, [we] are seeking diversity in the sense of uniting everyone.”
Upon his arrival at Oklahoma Christian, international student Miguel Mbumwae said he found his niche with both Rwandan and other international students. As the only Zambian student on campus, Mbumwae said he understands the importance of celebrating diversity in order to embrace other cultures and racial experiences.
“Celebrating diversity is a two-way thing,” Mbumwae said. “The people who are of diverse cultures really appreciate that they feel welcome. It gives Americans, or other people who are not of a diverse culture, a chance to learn, enjoy and maybe even come and see for themselves.”
According to the U.S News and World Report, “college-bound students who believe that studying with people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds is important will want to consider student-body diversity when choosing a school.”
Gary Jones said he has a vision for diversity and race relations on campus, reaching farther than Oklahoma Christian has gone in terms of multiculturalism.
“One of the deals that I really, really pushed here is a center for diversity, a place where the classroom meets student services,” Jones said. “Students just know [they] can go there and talk with other students and have safe dialogue. It would also be a hub for church relations to develop a better relationship with diverse Churches of Christ or diverse churches in general.”
According to Jones, the state of diversity at Oklahoma Christian ultimately reflects the same discrepancies at other institutions.
“I want to make sure that people understand that Oklahoma Christian has the same problems as anywhere else, sometimes in a more concentrated fashion because we’re a smaller institution,” Jones said. “My hope, my prayer, my goal is that one day our resources will match our heart.”
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