UT Dallas has one of the top 25 most ethnically diverse student populations in the country, according to recent data from U.S. News and World Report.

Fall 2013 Student Profile

A pie chart captures UT Dallas’ diversity breakdown, including international students. U.S. News did not consider international students in its report. (Percentages do not total 100 because of rounding.)

The publication created an index comparing national colleges and universities  to identify those “where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own.” U.S. News factored in the total proportion of minority students after excluding international students. The data are drawn from each institution’s 2012-2013 school year student body. Categories used in the calculations were black or African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, white (non-Hispanic) and multiracial. Students who did not identify themselves as members of any of these demographic groups were classified as non-Hispanic whites for the purpose of the calculations.

“Diversity is important to the student experience. Students learn and grow when they are introduced to new ideas, new cultures and new experiences, and ultimately, great new innovation and discovery occur. I’m pleased that the University is fulfilling its mission as a growing and diverse institution founded on outstanding academic achievement,” said UT Dallas President Dr. David E. Daniel.

Ethnic diversity was one of three U.S. News categories in which UT Dallas performed well among a field of hundreds of other colleges and universities. The University also was ranked in the top 100 schools for highest percentage of international students and for economic diversity among students.

UTD Students

The U.S. News index sought to identify the universities  “where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own.”

The University has seen a significant increase in the international student population, which has grown 106 percent in the last five years. In fall 2009, UT Dallas enrolled 2,350 international students; this fall, preliminary data indicate 4,854 international students will enroll.

Dr. Magaly Spector, vice president for diversity and community engagement, said the U.S. News recognition reflected the efforts of the UT Dallas leadership and of the University as a whole.

“Our goal is to promote inclusion and celebrate diversity,” said Spector. “Our office is dedicated to helping UT Dallas become a great university not only of the nation, but also of the world. Our students, faculty and staff are committed to supporting these efforts.”

Programs like the Academic Bridge Program (ABP) also have contributed to the growth of diversity on campus. ABP helps first-generation college students pursue college educations. The program guides students as they transition from high school to college through advising, mentoring and tutoring.

“Diversity has always been an important component of the ABP. The initial impetus for the founding of the program was that UT Dallas, by its very name, represents a major metropolitan area of the country,” said Dr. George Fair, dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and founder of ABP. “It is a public responsibility for our students to reflect the diversity of the area.”

ABP students participate in cultural awareness activities and community service projects.

Other Texas universities listed in the top 25 most ethnically diverse campuses include the University of Houston, the University of Texas at Arlington, Rice University and Texas Woman’s University.

Campus Ethnic Diversity – Source: U.S. News and World Report

1. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey – Newark 14. University of California-Los Angeles
2. Andrews University 15. University of California-Riverside
3. Stanford University 16. University of Texas at Arlington
4. St. John’s University 17. University of the Pacific
5. University of Houston 18. Rice University
6. New Jersey Institute of Technology 19. San Diego State University
7. University of Hawaii-Manoa 20. Texas Woman’s University
8. University of Nevada-Las Vegas 21. University of California-Davis
9. Nova Southeastern University 22. University of California-Santa Cruz
10. University of Illinois-Chicago 23. University of Texas at Dallas
11. University of San Francisco 24. University of California-Berkeley
12. Georgia State University 25. University of California-Santa Barbara
13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology