avatarNicole Kay

Summary

The article discusses the controversy surrounding diversity scholarships, ultimately arguing that they are not a form of racism but rather a means to promote equal opportunities and diversity in education.

Abstract

The author, a 32-year-old American woman, reflects on the ongoing debate about diversity scholarships, which she recalls from her high school days and have persisted into 2024. The article delves into the history of these scholarships, starting with the Ford Foundation's initiatives in the 1970s and the recent political discourse, including Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey's directive for race-blind criteria in college admissions. The piece explains affirmative action and its goals, highlighting the benefits of diversity scholarships such as bypassing name discrimination, targeting underserved communities, and encouraging diversity in educational institutions. The author concludes that diversity scholarships do not embody racism, as they do not assert the superiority of one race over another, and argues for their continuation to foster a more inclusive society.

Opinions

  • The author acknowledges her past racial biases and the prevalence of name discrimination in job applications, which diversity scholarships can help mitigate.
  • The author cites a case where an individual won a lawsuit against Target for racial discrimination in the hiring process based on her name, reinforcing the need for diversity scholarships.
  • The article emphasizes that diversity scholarships are crucial for providing opportunities to students from underprivileged backgrounds who might otherwise be unaware of available financial assistance.
  • The author believes that diversity in education enriches the learning environment, challenges stereotypes, and promotes teamwork and mutual respect.
  • The article refutes the notion that diversity scholarships are racist by clarifying that they are not intended to assert racial superiority but to level the playing field for historically marginalized groups.
  • The author argues that scholarships often have specific criteria and that diversity scholarships are no different from those based on location or financial need, providing opportunities for minority groups to be recognized.
  • The author concludes that society would benefit from embracing diversity through scholarships, rather than opposing them, to ensure all individuals are given equal consideration and opportunities.

Are Diversity Scholarships Another Form of Racism?

An honest analysis of diversity scholarships

It’s 2024, and we’re still having this argument — Photo by Womanizer Toys on Unsplash

As an American, 32-year-old woman who graduated high school in 2010, I remember many of my fellow students being celebrated for receiving diversity scholarships. These students were primarily Asian and Black, plus one LGBTQ student. I also remember the controversies that surrounded these scholarships, and I’m not surprised — given the state of our country in a post-Trump era — that they’re still a hot topic.

Until recently, I was oblivious to the fact that politicians are trying to put an end to diversity scholarships once and for all. I started researching them after I received this comment in response to an article I wrote about what it’s like to raise a White man.

Comment Received on Author’s article

What started as mere curiosity about what people thought about diversity scholarships in 2024, soon led me down a political rabbit hole.

The History of Diversity Scholarships

Ford spearheaded the first diversity scholarships in the 1970s.

In the summer of 2023, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey wrote a letter stating that colleges and workplaces in the state had to adopt race-blind criteria. This came in response to the Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling on affirmative action, which prohibited colleges from using race as a deciding factor in admissions in the United States.

If you’re not big into political lingo (like me), here is a simple definition of affirmative action:

Affirmative Action is a program of positive action, undertaken with conviction and effort to overcome the present effects of past practices, policies, or barriers to equal employment opportunity and to achieve the full and fair participation of women, minorities and individuals with disabilities found to be underutilized in the workforce based on availability. — Minnesota Department of Public Safety

Affirmative action was created in 1961 by John F. Kennedy to ensure all job applicants would be treated equally, regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin. It was amended in 1972 by President Johnson to include women to expand employment options for females.

Politicians have battled over the topic of affirmative action ever since, with the majority of right-wing politicians agreeing with the commenter on my story, that allowing diversity scholarships is a form of discrimination against Whites.

Are diversity scholarships another form of discrimination?

Before I answer that question, I want to talk about the benefits of diversity scholarships.

The Benefits of Diversity Scholarships

Diversity Scholarships Bypass Name Discrimination

I’m not proud to admit that I have personally discriminated against people because of their names. I’ve also overheard my past bosses discussing applicants’ names and choosing not to call people because their names were, as they said, “funny.” Denying an applicant because they have an ethnic or foreign sounding name is racist. And the courts agree.

A woman named Kalisha won a $510,000 lawsuit after her application was denied at Target, and she sent in another application under another name with fewer qualifications. The applicant with the other name received an interview.

One National Bureau of Economic Research study found that “Emily and Greg” are 50 percent more likely to receive a callback than “Lakisha and Jamal.” Yet names have no bearing on personal qualifications.

Diversity Scholarships Target the Underserved

The underserved are groups of people who face barriers to accessing information. These students usually come from poor families, who would otherwise not be aware of scholarships and financial assistance available to them. Without scholarships targeted at them directly, they may never realize they can apply for a scholarship in the first place.

Diversity Scholarships Encourage Diversity

A sure way to increase a university’s diversity numbers is to have scholarships available to different groups of people. This encourages universities to select from these pools. Diversity in schools has many benefits. These are some beneficial points mentioned in the American Education Council’s 2012 essay On the Importance of Diversity in Higher Education.

Having a diverse student population:

  • Enriches education because we learn from other perspectives
  • Challenges stereotypes and encourages critical thinking
  • Encourages teamwork and mutual respect
  • Utilizes all talents and abilities in the community

Are Diversity Scholarships Another Form of Racism?

First, let’s define the word “racism.” I’ve found a few definitions.

Dictionary.com’s definition:

a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.

Merriam Webster’s definition:

the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another

The keywords in these definitions are superior, dominate, and oppression. What White people must understand is that in order to be a “racist,” a person, group, or policy must believe one race is superior to another.

Diversity scholarships were not founded with the intent of making any single race dominant. They were founded to give groups a shot that have previously been ignored.

I can safely conclude: Diversity scholarships are not a form of racism.

Should race be considered in awarding scholarships?

Next, I want to address this argument:

Scholarships should be given to those who are most deserving. Race should not be part of the equation.

Diversity scholarships are given to students who are the most deserving. It shouldn’t matter which pool of applicants you’re pulling from. Scholarships for decades have had specific requirements. The ones most “deserving” — as decided by the scholarship committee — are the ones who will be selected. No one’s giving a student with an F average a scholarship.

No one’s giving a student with an F average a scholarship.

Here’s an example of a college scholarship for students who attend Belle Plaine Community School District in Iowa. You wouldn’t expect a student from California to apply for this scholarship. Is the California student going to be upset that they can’t apply? Probably not.

Students applying for this scholarship must also demonstrate financial need, with having a family-adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less. So, if your parents make $100,000 annually, you’re not going to apply even if you have straight A’s and meet all the other requirements.

Screenshot by the Author of Scholarship Posted by Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans

How is giving scholarships to minority groups any different than location-specific or financial-need-specific scholarships? There are more than enough general scholarships available that anyone can apply to, but ones with specific criteria allow underserved groups of people to stand out when they might not otherwise.

Today, there are scholarships for just about everything you can imagine from veganism to caregiving. Every student has the chance to stand out, and this is a wonderful opportunity for today’s young adults. All people deserve to be seen.

All people deserve to be seen.

Bottom Line

Diversity scholarships are not racist. They present opportunities to underserved groups, and we need more of these scholarships. The sooner we start accepting diversity rather than trying to stop it, the better off society will be.

For more stories about social justice, follow Fourth Wave. Have you got a story or poem that focuses on women or other disempowered groups? Submit to the Wave!

Culture
Racism
Diversity
Diversity Scholarships
Education
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