Opinion Staff Editorial

#IAMUH gives a face to diversity

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The Cougar Editorial Board stands with #IAMUH | Justin Cross/The Cougar

As Center of Diversity and Inclusion’s newest campaign, #IAMUH, rolls out this week, it’s important look beyond the fact that we get to see our selfies displayed on their website and maybe get a prize or two for participating.

By sharing a part of what makes you UH, you get to reflect on why you chose this campus in the first place.

Whether you are a first-generation student trying to manage multiple jobs at once to get that degree or someone who transferred from another department because you changed your major, we are building this campus from the ground up.

The campus reflects us and how we work together, and we should learn about one another and find strengths in our differences.

UH educates more than 40,750 students, in more than 300 undergraduate and graduate academic programs, on campus and online. UH awards more than 8,000 degrees annually, with more than 230,000 alumni.

We like to mention the fact of what we are recognized for being one of the most diverse universities, but we can do better than just acknowledging it. We need to explore that and get to know each other.

There’s more than 500 student organizations and 16 intercollegiate sports teams. About 6,000 students live on campus in residence halls, apartments and townhouses.

Not to mention the dozens of ethnic and racial backgrounds that our student population hold, there’s so many stories that haven’t been spotlighted.

It’s amazing the things you can find out about yourself when you take the time to step out of your comfort zone and delve into someone else’s.

Many young students are thought to be self-centered and narrow-minded, and this campus gives us a chance to prove them wrong. We are UH because we can look beyond first impressions, learn who we are and celebrate our community.

So, when you’re about to take a selfie with one of the banners, think about what you want you community to learn about you.

— The Cougar Editorial Board

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