Diversity Statement Samples Forum

Share experiences and seek insight regarding your experience as an underrepresented minority within the legal community.
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ShuckingNotJiving

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by ShuckingNotJiving » Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:28 am

Excellent. Thank you. I have a couple more questions. A few years before the instance with the stop light, I went to an African American Leadership summit in DC that changed my life. I was going to use it in my PS. Would it be redundant to use it here too? Also, the stop light incident did force me to stop and think about how I would react and why. It sort of crystallized my view of race relations. Would it still be a good anecdote to keep if I talked about that?
No, do not use the same topic in your PS and DS. It might seem like it's the one thing you've done in your lifetime that's worth any value. I think it'd be a good idea to start off your DS about the stop light incident. Nothing too long, or too dramatic. Just explain the scene, explain your town (so, so necessary) then get into your journey of self-discovery, culminating with your projects at the University. I might even take out the "oreo" thing completely. I mean, look at the DS on this board. Count the number of them that use "oreo." Think about the fact that "oreo" is a delicious cookie that has no place in a DS. You've been advised.

In regards to this stop light incident, how did you react, by the way? I think that question is begged when reading the incident. Well, actually, there are a few questions begged -- were you in your car? were you on foot? If you were in your car, what were you listening to on the radio? what were you wearing? was it like a projectile thing? Where did it land? Did you use a kleenex to wipe it off? Or just your hand? Did anyone else see? How did they react? These aren't things you need to include in your DS, these are just things I'd like to know.....

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lisjjen

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by lisjjen » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:14 am

ShuckingNotJiving wrote:
Excellent. Thank you. I have a couple more questions. A few years before the instance with the stop light, I went to an African American Leadership summit in DC that changed my life. I was going to use it in my PS. Would it be redundant to use it here too? Also, the stop light incident did force me to stop and think about how I would react and why. It sort of crystallized my view of race relations. Would it still be a good anecdote to keep if I talked about that?
No, do not use the same topic in your PS and DS. It might seem like it's the one thing you've done in your lifetime that's worth any value. I think it'd be a good idea to start off your DS about the stop light incident. Nothing too long, or too dramatic. Just explain the scene, explain your town (so, so necessary) then get into your journey of self-discovery, culminating with your projects at the University. I might even take out the "oreo" thing completely. I mean, look at the DS on this board. Count the number of them that use "oreo." Think about the fact that "oreo" is a delicious cookie that has no place in a DS. You've been advised.

In regards to this stop light incident, how did you react, by the way? I think that question is begged when reading the incident. Well, actually, there are a few questions begged -- were you in your car? were you on foot? If you were in your car, what were you listening to on the radio? what were you wearing? was it like a projectile thing? Where did it land? Did you use a kleenex to wipe it off? Or just your hand? Did anyone else see? How did they react? These aren't things you need to include in your DS, these are just things I'd like to know.....
I've been working on it. Is it cool if I PM the intro to you once I'm done? I'd be happy to return the favor with anything you need help editing.

howardsbest

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by howardsbest » Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:16 am

I will be a 1L at Catholic in the Fall here is my diversity statement. It is simple and to the point.

Diversity Statement
As one of four children, I was forced to learn quickly. My mother was a single parent and expected me to help put food on the table. I did not live in the best neighborhood. Employment opportunities were slim and education was an option but not a priority. However, my mother saw it differently. While other children were outside playing or getting into trouble, I was working. I got my first job at 10 years old working at a car wash. My mother knew that working would keep me too busy to be in trouble. I learned the value of hard work from my position at the car wash. But, hard work could not teach me all the lessons I needed to learn. When I asked my mother why I couldn’t be like other children, she told me so that when I received a real opportunity I would take it. I knew the real reason was because my mom could not afford to take care of us, but the message stuck -- education was my opportunity.

As the first in my family to attend college, I was charged with creating the standard of excellence within my family. My mother could not afford a higher education for me, but this did not stop my pursuit of one. I applied for every grant and scholarship that I could. My credentials were good enough to afford me several scholarships. With the help of scholarships and student employment I was able to finish undergrad in four years. I was starting a new tradition in my family based on moving forward through education. Blank University gave me the foundation to do this. I gained a unique education from Blank-- not only academically, but culturally. Blank taught me to care for the global community no matter what cultural differences were present. Attending Blank has taught me to embrace my past experiences to create a better future.

Someone once told me that repetition is the father of learning. My mother was not able to provide everything I needed. She did however; repeatedly stress the importance of education. I learned from her repetition that I could strive and succeed to be something better through education.

Webster’s Dictionary defines diversity as; [being] composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities. My life experiences have been distinct elements that have helped to shape my perspective. I have not had the opportunities afforded to most in post secondary education. I have however; fought to gain experience and knowledge to prepare me for attending law school. My background and understanding will allow me to contribute a diverse and unique perspective to SoandSo School of Law.

missbusiness

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by missbusiness » Tue Sep 14, 2010 1:21 pm

im just curious to know when in the application process is the diversity statement used? is it a supplement to the personal statement?

IAMGenius

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by IAMGenius » Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:16 pm

This is the Diversity Statement I have come up with so far. Let me know what you guys think. Also is 2 pages two long for a DS?

There is nothing better than a candle light dinner. Many consider this an ideal setting, often accompanied by a beautiful lady, a nice meal, and a burning fire to set the mood. Now, consider this. That beautiful date is a mother in tears. That nice gourmet meal is a can of Campbell’s soup. The fire, it is not there to set the mood, just to keep a mother and her 3 children warm. This was my candle light dinner, the night my life seemed to fall into the depths of solitude. As well, a night that has served as the ammunition to my success ever since.
As a kid growing up in Bessemer, Alabama, I never really understood that I was from a disadvantaged neighborhood. This is probably because everyone around me was like me. Most of my friends came from single parent households and we all attended the same schools. This made the lifestyle that I experienced normal, simply because I hadn’t experienced anything else. This, however, would not last forever.
Upon entering high school my parents and I felt it would be best for me to attend a charter school Jefferson County International Baccalaureate, in Irondale AL. This presented a change I didn’t believe I was ready for. For the first time, I truly experienced being a minority. I was no longer surrounded by kids who look just like me. In a freshman class of a little more than one hundred students there were nine African Americans. This was a cultural shock, but as I soon found out, this was the “real world”. Just to hear the conversations amongst my new peers was at times depressing, and it made me question why my life experiences were so different. I was used to talking about sports and cars; my peers talked about their weekend shopping sprees for new school clothes. Admittedly I was ready to give up before I ever got started.
Up until high school my life had been a roller coaster ride. My mother, who never finished her college degree, was able to make a decent living by working her way up through her company. Even though we didn’t have much, we had what we needed. Then, during my freshman year of high school, she was laid off. Afterwards, everything around me began to fall apart. I approached my mother one day to ask her if I could possibly change back to the neighborhood school. During the middle of our conversation the power was disconnected. As she sat there crying, I could see the depression upon her face. Although I tried not to show it, I knew exactly how she was feeling. We lit a fire, and continued to talk about me leaving the charter school. While many things were said and discussed, I remember three words she spoke that day, “Coleman’s don’t quit.” As unlikely as it may seem, these words have meant the most to me becoming the man I am. They have shown me that no matter how hard things get in life, and despite all the trials and tribulations you go through, you never quit. As a young man who had reached the lowest point in his life, I was determined to take those words and live by them.
In 2006 I graduated from Jefferson County International Baccalaureate with my high school diploma, but I left with so much more. Those four years changed my outlook on life. I was no longer restrained to the lifestyle I once thought was normal, and my peers who didn’t look like me, I found out, were just like me. We were all just kids with a goal. We may not have made it to the same place along the same route, but we were all there. For years I have cherished the experiences I had during high school, and I relish in the fact that I stayed, even through hard times.
As I look forward to attending law school next year, I reflect on the many things I have experienced in life. I know that my struggles and successes have made me a stronger person and most applicably a stronger student. I continue my educational pursuit with the same dynamism and zeal as always, and still live by the same motto, “Colemans don’t quit.” While the candles in my house have been put away for now, the memories will never vanish. Hopefully in the future I can use those candles for the ideal candle light dinner, perfectly set with a beautiful lady, gourmet meal, and a fire to set the mood.

ChemistryMatters

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by ChemistryMatters » Thu Nov 04, 2010 5:45 pm

This is my Diversity Statement.

I'm trying to work in that I was also a minority as a female and hispanic in my chemical engineering grad program and at work...

“Mamá, why are we leaving Pooky?” I asked as my mother buckled my seatbelt and my father started the car. I was barely five years old at the time, but I was painfully aware of both the absence of our family pet and that we were leaving our home, never to go back. My mother bluntly explained we no longer had a home and that where we were going, Pooky could not. An only child, I sat alone in the back seat as we drove away.

For a painful year we could not afford a home of own, living with one begrudging friend or another as my father began job after job. He was battling what we would only much later learn to be bipolar disorder; the frequent changes in his mood from severe depression to violent outbursts made it difficult to hold down a job. When my mother developed the symptoms of Systemic lupus erythematosus, which made work difficult for her, she hid the symptoms as long as possible, though she developed severe depression.

Periods of my childhood and young adulthood were exceptionally challenging as I learned to adapt to challenges resulting from our family’s background as well the unique health issues of my parents. My mother was born to a fourteen year old girl, into a family of Mexican immigrants in rural Arkansas. My father’s parents immigrated to West Virginia where they became coal miners. I am aware that I faced challenges due to my Mexican heritage, but I feel strongly that it is my socioeconomic background as a second generation American that has had the most profound effect on my identity. My parents were simultaneously suspicious of the affluent, and hopeful that we would one day be “one of them.” I was aware that their struggles with physical and mental issues were intensified due to our lack of resources and deeply felt the injustice of it.

My father’s deployment with the Army to Japan soon after he enlisted brought a great deal of hope to my family, and awakened a wonder of the natural world that has remained with me. My inquisitiveness propelled me to the top of my classes and led me to the natural sciences. Through chemistry and physics I found that there is reason and order in the world and was on a quest to know it better. My academic success continued through high school where I achieved a 4.13 GPA and was accepted to Brown University, though I was not able to attend due to the responsibilities at home. I chose instead to attend XX University, a historically Hispanic university, to study chemistry.

I have lived in the suburbs of Tokyo and Washington, D.C.; in Bad Kreuznach, Germany and spent significant amounts of time in five other countries. I can communicate in a conversational manner in three languages: English, Spanish and German. I embrace knowing diverse people and cultures. Growing up in various parts of the world with a strong feminist mother, proud of her cultural heritage and a conservative, devoutly religious father, I am accustomed to hearing opposing viewpoints. My background contributes to my confidence that I can engage and thrive in law school discussions; my years as a working professional and my current graduate work reassure me that I can work well with my future colleagues and clients.

smartinez

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by smartinez » Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:38 pm

thanks for the....
Last edited by smartinez on Wed Dec 01, 2010 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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s0ph1e2007

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by s0ph1e2007 » Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:43 pm

I have a diversity statement about being NDN.

PM me if you want it.

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softsgalore

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by softsgalore » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:48 pm

After a Canadian court case that may legalize polygamy began just this week, I was infuriated to see liberals trotting out the same tired arguments against polygamy that have been used for years against gay marriage. The reason is simple: when liberal people think of gay marriage, they think of happy, normal couples who simply happen to be same sex. But when they think of polygamy, they think of compounds and brainwashed young girls. They don't think of my family: two men and one woman, studying together, cooking together, playing video games together, and living together in a romantic relationship. For nearly three years, I have considered myself married to two men, although legally only one marriage can be recognized by the state.

I married my husband [NAME] four and a half years ago. We had a good marriage and stable relationship, but I had also told him from the beginning of our relationship that I did not consider myself a monogamous person. He understood this, and even respected it. When I talked to him a year later about hoping to begin a relationship with my good friend [NAME 2], he was supportive and maintained open communication in a way that made it easier to navigate those first few delicate months. Now, my two husbands are best friends (platonically) with each other, and we are even beginning to consider having children.

It would have been in many ways easier to keep this unorthodox relationship a secret. However, we wanted to be “out,” in our university and our community. I wrote an article for our campus newspaper about the relationship after hearing rumors around campus. We told our respective sets of parents, our friends, our siblings. Through it all, we kept one thing in mind: be open, and if we treat it matter-of-factly, so will others. We resolved to answer any questions – even very personal ones – to educate and inform. Often, the questions were the same: do you sleep in the same bed all together? (No.) Do you ever have jealousy problems? (Sometimes – but so do many monogamous couples, and we work it out.) What's the hardest thing about living with two men? (Trying to divide up the holidays among three families!)

We have dealt with incredulity, jeers, and slurs, and we have perservered to make a relationship as strong as any I have ever seen. To me, and to my husbands, our family arrangement has not seemed like competition, but instead like completion. My family may look a little different from most families, but it is still a family, facing joys, fears, and hopes together. While I know it is unlikely, I still hope to be the person to argue successfully in favor of relationships like mine gaining the legal recognition we deserve. I don't know if the United States is ready to accept us yet, but when it is, I hope to be ready – law books in hand.

ht2988

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by ht2988 » Wed Dec 08, 2010 2:26 am

softsgalore wrote:After a Canadian court case that may legalize polygamy began just this week, I was infuriated to see liberals trotting out the same tired arguments against polygamy that have been used for years against gay marriage. The reason is simple: when liberal people think of gay marriage, they think of happy, normal couples who simply happen to be same sex. But when they think of polygamy, they think of compounds and brainwashed young girls. They don't think of my family: two men and one woman, studying together, cooking together, playing video games together, and living together in a romantic relationship. For nearly three years, I have considered myself married to two men, although legally only one marriage can be recognized by the state.

I married my husband [NAME] four and a half years ago. We had a good marriage and stable relationship, but I had also told him from the beginning of our relationship that I did not consider myself a monogamous person. He understood this, and even respected it. When I talked to him a year later about hoping to begin a relationship with my good friend [NAME 2], he was supportive and maintained open communication in a way that made it easier to navigate those first few delicate months. Now, my two husbands are best friends (platonically) with each other, and we are even beginning to consider having children.

It would have been in many ways easier to keep this unorthodox relationship a secret. However, we wanted to be “out,” in our university and our community. I wrote an article for our campus newspaper about the relationship after hearing rumors around campus. We told our respective sets of parents, our friends, our siblings. Through it all, we kept one thing in mind: be open, and if we treat it matter-of-factly, so will others. We resolved to answer any questions – even very personal ones – to educate and inform. Often, the questions were the same: do you sleep in the same bed all together? (No.) Do you ever have jealousy problems? (Sometimes – but so do many monogamous couples, and we work it out.) What's the hardest thing about living with two men? (Trying to divide up the holidays among three families!)

We have dealt with incredulity, jeers, and slurs, and we have perservered to make a relationship as strong as any I have ever seen. To me, and to my husbands, our family arrangement has not seemed like competition, but instead like completion. My family may look a little different from most families, but it is still a family, facing joys, fears, and hopes together. While I know it is unlikely, I still hope to be the person to argue successfully in favor of relationships like mine gaining the legal recognition we deserve. I don't know if the United States is ready to accept us yet, but when it is, I hope to be ready – law books in hand.
RIGHT ON!!!

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URMdan

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by URMdan » Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:34 pm

Anybody want to critique my DS?

serdog

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by serdog » Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:03 am

mine
It’s February 12, 2010 and I’m about to dance in front of a billion people, representing my nation to the world, along with 300 other youth. After 2 weeks of preparing to welcome the Olympics to Canada, we truly felt like family and I can’t help but cry. To help you understand my emotional state I need to go back over a 100 years and tell a story.

In 1898, when the Klondike Gold Rush hit our homeland, we went from being an isolated people to being at the centre of a thriving metropolis of 40,000. When it became clear that the Han culture would be lost in the title wave of newcomers, our Hanke (Chief) Isaac travelled to Tanacross, Alaska with our songs, our drums and the Ganhank (sacred dancing stick) for safekeeping because he foresaw that without this action the voice of our people though song would be lost forever and we would never get it back.

In the early 1990’s our songs were brought back, and slowly we began the process reclaiming our voice. I remember first hearing the sounds of the drums and singers’ voices, and I being filled with a clear image of who I was, and that is what the Han songs are about: where we are, who we are and how we feel. When I graduated, I moved to my home community to work; this filled me with joy because I was able to connect with my culture by joining the Han Singers, and I found the songs centred me as I celebrated who I am. I was asked by my elders to undertake the role of a ganhank dancer to lead our dances; I felt honoured to help revive this portion of the dance ceremony as it allows me to share our culture and help keep this key component of my culture strong.

Given my love and pride in my dancing culture, I was delighted when I was selected to be one of 300 first nations youth from across Canada to participate in the Vancouver 2010 opening ceremonies. During the preparation for the event my eyes were opened to the great diversity of Aboriginal cultures of North America represented. I was also able to draw on our core values, our ability to embrace computers and automobiles yet still allow the land and the animals to speak to us. I understood our commonality in the ways we learn from all cultures to make our people strong. On the big night, I found myself crying before going out. I acknowledged my responsibility to my people to ‘represent’, and beyond that a responsibility to the family who had saved our songs. It made me feel small and scared, but the moment out there in the arena, when I raised my voice strong for the world to hear our songs, was the greatest moment of my life.

Mahsi Cho (big Thank you) for any feedback

cowgirl_bebop

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by cowgirl_bebop » Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:50 pm

Now that I've finished applying, here is my DS:

The sound of my stomach grumbling is intensifying. The sight of the meager
meal of beans, bread, and milk that awaits me is enough to temporarily lift my spirits,
but the feeling will not last. My sister and I sit on the floor of the living room and quietly
eat in front of the TV. Once again, there is not enough to feed three people, so my
mother simply “enjoys” a cup of tea and a slice of bread with a bit of jam. The milk is
gone. The bread is gone. Somehow she will have to find a way to make a meal the next
day.

When my parents separated, my mother took my sister and I and moved to a
small duplex the next county over. My father was in no position to provide for his family;
his addiction had seen to that. He was more preoccupied with helping to keep his
uncle’s drug ring running than with caring for his wife and 2 kids. Choosing a life as a
single mother over a life surrounded by drugs and violence, my mother left her husband
of 10 years and settled down in Louisa County, Virginia.

Raising two children on a nurse’s salary was challenging to say the least, and
many times it was simply not enough. After the divorce, my father landed himself in
federal prison, so he was not able to provide any financial support whatsoever. It was
all she could do to give us the $.70 we each needed for reduced lunch at school. Our
new clothes came from clothing banks. Our food came from food pantries. Sometimes
she simply went without meals at night to make sure my sister and I were fed. But our
clothes were always clean, our homework was always done, and we were always well
behaved. My mother refused to acknowledge any excuses when it came to our schoolwork.
“Being poor is not an excuse for falling behind in school,” she used to tell us.

My background may not have been ideal, but it has taught me things that I have
used time and time again to push myself to the next level, and for that I am thankful. I
have learned that there is much more to a person than simply where they come from;
simply put, one’s background does not necessarily define them. It is what they do in
spite of the negative events in their background that makes them who they are. On
paper, my life experiences may look like a handicap, but in reality it is anything but. I
realize that what I can accomplish is in no way contingent upon how much money my
parents had, where I lived, or the makeup of my household. I refuse to use any of these
things as an excuse for failing to reach my true potential, academically or otherwise.

Good luck you guys!!!

Firework11

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by Firework11 » Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:54 pm

Anyone is willing to critique my personal statement, shoot me a message please =)

cblawstudent2014

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by cblawstudent2014 » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:49 pm

I just decided to write a diversity statement and I am having a hard time. I feel I covered most of what I would write in my PS. I know for USF they ask for one and also Hastings LEOP program gives you an option to talk about Diversity/Adversity.

I have alot to talk about I'm just not sure of a good approach.

About me:
African American female
grew up living in the city during the week and on a farm on the weekends
I was a teen mom
I was adopted
I spent time in the foster care system

Each of the items listed I could write along time about but I'm not sure which would be most interesting/unique or helpful in adittion to my PS.

In my statement I did not mention the farm or being adopted. I also like classical music haha. I don't feel I lasck diversity it's just how to approach the subject.

Please help.

privatemf

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by privatemf » Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:53 am

[quote="softsgalore"]After a Canadian court case that may legalize polygamy began just this week, I was infuriated to see liberals trotting out the same tired arguments against polygamy that have been used for years against gay marriage. The reason is simple: when liberal people think of gay marriage, they think of happy, normal couples who simply happen to be same sex. But when they think of polygamy, they think of compounds and brainwashed young girls. They don't think of my family: two men and one woman, studying together, cooking together, playing video games together, and living together in a romantic relationship. For nearly three years, I have considered myself married to two men, although legally only one marriage can be recognized by the state.

I married my husband [NAME] four and a half years ago. We had a good marriage and stable relationship, but I had also told him from the beginning of our relationship that I did not consider myself a monogamous person. He understood this, and even respected it. When I talked to him a year later about hoping to begin a relationship with my good friend [NAME 2], he was supportive and maintained open communication in a way that made it easier to navigate those first few delicate months. Now, my two husbands are best friends (platonically) with each other, and we are even beginning to consider having children.

TMI, can you tell me what became of this statement. I don't think this would be a good one considering that the ABA and bar have ethics and things like that. I could be wrong but dang you kept it 100.

privatemf

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by privatemf » Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:02 am

cblawstudent2014 wrote:I just decided to write a diversity statement and I am having a hard time. I feel I covered most of what I would write in my PS. I know for USF they ask for one and also Hastings LEOP program gives you an option to talk about Diversity/Adversity.

I have alot to talk about I'm just not sure of a good approach.

About me:
African American female
grew up living in the city during the week and on a farm on the weekends
I was a teen mom
I was adopted
I spent time in the foster care system

Each of the items listed I could write along time about but I'm not sure which would be most interesting/unique or helpful in adittion to my PS.

In my statement I did not mention the farm or being adopted. I also like classical music haha. I don't feel I lasck diversity it's just how to approach the subject.

Please help.
I think your experience in Foster care would make a wonderful diversity statement, seriously. I would love to learn more about it. That is a very underrepresented bunch. Imagine the hope you give others know that story. I hope that you one get be a mentor to someone in that position. One thing I think about this process is that you have to be completely "naked." That would do it and if it is a good statement boy I see scholarship money on the side of your acceptance.

If you need some help pm me.

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HazelEyes

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by HazelEyes » Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:04 am

I agree, I spent some time doing CASA work, and I think foster care is a good topic to write about. That being said, you seem to have gone through a lot, and it might be worthwhile to either blend one or two topics together, or write 2 diversity statements and then ask for some feedback on which is more compelling. Diversity statements are mostly about getting $$$$.
privatemf wrote:
cblawstudent2014 wrote:I just decided to write a diversity statement and I am having a hard time. I feel I covered most of what I would write in my PS. I know for USF they ask for one and also Hastings LEOP program gives you an option to talk about Diversity/Adversity.

I have alot to talk about I'm just not sure of a good approach.

About me:
African American female
grew up living in the city during the week and on a farm on the weekends
I was a teen mom
I was adopted
I spent time in the foster care system

Each of the items listed I could write along time about but I'm not sure which would be most interesting/unique or helpful in adittion to my PS.

In my statement I did not mention the farm or being adopted. I also like classical music haha. I don't feel I lasck diversity it's just how to approach the subject.

Please help.
I think your experience in Foster care would make a wonderful diversity statement, seriously. I would love to learn more about it. That is a very underrepresented bunch. Imagine the hope you give others know that story. I hope that you one get be a mentor to someone in that position. One thing I think about this process is that you have to be completely "naked." That would do it and if it is a good statement boy I see scholarship money on the side of your acceptance.

If you need some help pm me.

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Horchata

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by Horchata » Thu May 05, 2011 12:01 am

This helped me get into Cornell and USC. This was the max limit of words that most schools allowed. You can pm with questions or comments. HTH Suerte

I am not a bricklayer, but I am a builder; building upon my family’s dedication to pursue a better life. As the son of a Mexican-American father, whose Chicano origins show me the meaning of being a minority, and Mexican immigrant mother, who inspires me to continue pursuing my dreams amidst the daunting and unknown road ahead, I push on without fear. Despite not meeting a lawyer until I was twenty years old, I know that my decision to go to law school is the right choice for me. (I still think this last sentence was oddly positioned, but whatever.) I am proud that I am going further in my education than anyone in my family and honoring my Mexican-American heritage.

For the past three generations on my father’s side, each one improved on the next without a stumble. We grew strong through Christian morals and timeless economic principles, like hard work and honesty. From laying brick in Chicago, to teaching and implementing community development projects in Los Angeles, to starting a small business, I inherited my father’s and grandfather’s strength to grow and build. I cannot falter, but only because their spirit of hard work is ingrained in me. My mother and her family worked factory and menial labor jobs to bear a new generation with unlimited opportunities – ones they only dreamt of, but that are now coming true through me. I am often reminded by the vivid stories from my mom and aunts of the road they traveled. And I now realize they told me so I could draw strength from their trials in tough and uncertain times. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to continue to receive these blessings at the present moment.

When you read this I will be studying and working in X X X, Mexico. To reconnect with the culture that I am a part of, but remolded in a different brand, provides indescribable insight into my family’s history and myself. Speaking in Spanish with members of my family that I know little of, but know much of me, brings a unique joy to my life. Before coming to Guadalajara, I had little interaction with my mother's family, all of whom reside in Mexico. I now feel more complete knowing where my family and I come from. Although the markers distinguishing my two-fold background are blurred at times, I will always know that it ultimately broadens my view of the world, in which I am able to rise above traditional ideological and national barriers when looking at various issues and situations.

I speak much of my family because they make me who I am. I cannot separate my journey from theirs. Though, their lack of higher education has posed difficulties for me. For instance, even contemplating pursuing this goal, I researched for countless hours about how I needed to prepare myself for law school. My family believes lawyers are the type of people suited for the most privileged and elite or worst in society. This misconception forced me to find the path to law school and the legal profession on my own. Sometimes doubt enters my thoughts because of the ambiguity of this revered field. However, I quickly subdue those fears with unreserved confidence in my abilities. This self-reliance is secured both in my hard work and positive outlook, but cemented in the foundation laid by my forefathers.

Using this as the cornerstone of my life, I naturally transcend my history and experience into all that I do, not least in the university. While in college I often drifted into deep conversations with friends and they reminded me of how different my story was to theirs. I sometimes felt alienated by this, but after self-reflection I became more emboldened to continue on my path. My unique life experience – yet similar to other Mexican-American students – brings a distinct perspective to law school and the legal profession. In a profession that has tremendous implications on people’s lives, knowing students from varied backgrounds only improves the discussion and education of the entire student body. This not only makes better and more informed attorneys, but also the society we all hope to improve. I hope others come to know me, X X X, while in law school, and I am sure they will; for they can see proof of the American Dream, and also the mason at work.

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whirledpeas86

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by whirledpeas86 » Fri May 13, 2011 9:27 pm

Here is my 2-page-long double spaced DS. I really think my DS was key in my cycle and helped me outperform my numbers (even for URM). I'll be attending Michigan in the fall. PM me if you have any questions!

“You know what? There’s no such thing as gay Blacks; that’s just something Black folks picked up from the whites. I know it’s true because they tossed all of the Black [homophobic language redacted] gots and dykes off the slave ships on their way over here,” the voice crackled out of the radio. At 12-years-old, I sat in the back of the car, deeply immersed in a dog-eared copy of Jane Eyre, futilely trying to tune out the hateful words I could not help but hear. “I know that’s right,” my mother muttered under her breath as she turned up the volume. My blood ran cold, then hot, then cold again. Just as I was about to speak up, I bit my tongue, knowing that anything I could say would only bring the focus on me, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do.

This was the first time I was confronted, nigh slapped in the face, with how my racial and sexual identity conflicted with each other. Growing up in a religious Black family, I was more than familiar with the flamboyantly gay man wearing the salmon-colored suit and neck scarf who seemed to direct the choir at every Black church I had ever been to. Yet his reality was always swept under the rug. His partner was always referred to as “the roommate;” his reason for being unmarried was attributed to his being a “lifelong bachelor.” This is the real don’t ask, don’t tell policy – and it is far from being repealed. Despite being aware of this silencing and forced invisibility, I didn’t grasp how it applied to me.

Living in a predominantly white town, I was used to being the odd one out. As the only one in the classroom with caramel brown skin and curly hair, it was undeniable that I was different than most of my classmates. I always dreaded when we would do the unit on slavery in social studies; I could feel everyone looking at me out of the corner of their eye, wondering if their family has anything to do with my ancestors’ bondage. Worse yet was trying to fit in with the other Black kids on the playground or at camp. According to those kids, I talked like a white girl, listened to white music, and was just an all around Oreo: black on the outside, white on the inside. My parents taught me to be proud of my racial heritage. Yes, we were enslaved, but the fact that we made it here spoke to the strength and tenacity of our people. Yet, that was cold comfort as I sat alone while the other Black kids laughed at me for my precise diction or my love of The Beatles. Whatever blackness was, I was terrified that I was doing it wrong.

My mother abruptly pulled into a parking space and hurried me out of the car to get to the Sunday church service for which we were already ten minutes late. Yet, my brain was still in a fog, busy analyzing that harsh voice on the radio that seemed to speak directly to me, my mother's tacit approval only adding insult to injury. I had known for so long that I was different than everyone else. I wasn’t interested in chasing boys, playing with dolls, and planning the perfect wedding. If given the choice, I would have much preferred to run and jump in the mud with the boys and chase the girls on the playground, trying to nail the prettiest one with a kiss. However, if that voice on the radio was right, what did it mean about me? If there’s no such thing as a gay Black person, then who, or what, was I?

It took years of struggle and self-exploration to integrate my racial identity and sexual identity, eventually realizing that I didn’t have to pick one or the other. I learned about people like Bayard Rustin, a key organizer of the 1963 civil rights March on Washington, who was also an openly gay Black man. While learning about prominent LGBT people of color helped me integrate my identities, the most transformative act I took was learning about, and embracing, myself. As a leader of True Colors, the student group on my college campus that served as a support for queer students of color, I saw the power of my people. All of my people. For many members of True Colors, myself included, our group meetings were the first place where we felt we could be completely open and honest about who we truly were. We were able to actively reach out to both the LGBT community and the Black community on campus, bridging the seemingly insurmountable gap, bringing two historically disenfranchised groups together to recognize the similarities inherent in their struggle. From the March on Washington, to the Stonewall Riots, to the individual acts of advocacy that True Colors practiced, I learned that the only person who can silence me is myself.

YOUNGHOVA616

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by YOUNGHOVA616 » Tue May 17, 2011 2:31 pm

this is a rough draft let me know what you guys think


“Diversity has been written into the DNA of American life; any institution that lacks a rainbow array has come to seem diminished, if not diseased.”Joe Klein wrote .In short for sustainability we must make diversity a priority in every given sense. My life has run the total spectrum of different experiences by living in contrasting environments. I was raised in a depressed small town in Illinois by a single mother working three jobs so my sister and I could have what we needed. My father was in no position to help, because he was chasing the corporate ladder that seemed to always be more important to him after my parents separated. Sometimes the three jobs was not enough and I have always used to the delinquent notices hung on the door that I saw as a motivator. Growing up I saw most people around me graduate from high school and try to go get a job. College was not something most did as no one could afford it, but also no one from Belleville, Illinois thought they could become a professional. I believed what my mother told me that I could do anything I wanted to. With hard work I could be different.

Two weeks before my high school graduation I got a call from my father asking me if I wanted to come live with him and attend community college. I jumped at the idea, not just to reconnect with my dad but I understood the importance of college. The neighborhood where, I would now live in changed my life. I did not know gated communities existed. I was exposed to people with wealth for the first time and a Mercedes was not just something I saw in music videos anymore. It showed me that there was so much life beyond the parameters of poverty that I was accustomed to. I often reflect how lucky I am to have lived in two substantially different places. I think about a lot of my friends who were just as smart, just as talented that have never had the opportunities I have had. This is what drives me to keep reaching.

At law school I will bring not only a diverse perspective but a grateful one. During my attendance at law school I will continually be proactive in the betterment of me, as well as your institution. I am a true believer that diversity in problem solving groups is to the advantage of individual talent. In many law classes the lack of diversity is to the detriment of all of us and I know the unusual prospective I bring can help solve that problem.

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Rheastoria

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by Rheastoria » Mon May 30, 2011 7:59 pm

whirledpeas86 wrote:Here is my 2-page-long double spaced DS. I really think my DS was key in my cycle and helped me outperform my numbers (even for URM). I'll be attending Michigan in the fall. PM me if you have any questions!

“You know what? There’s no such thing as gay Blacks; that’s just something Black folks picked up from the whites. I know it’s true because they tossed all of the Black [homophobic language redacted] gots and dykes off the slave ships on their way over here,” the voice crackled out of the radio. At 12-years-old, I sat in the back of the car, deeply immersed in a dog-eared copy of Jane Eyre, futilely trying to tune out the hateful words I could not help but hear. “I know that’s right,” my mother muttered under her breath as she turned up the volume. My blood ran cold, then hot, then cold again. Just as I was about to speak up, I bit my tongue, knowing that anything I could say would only bring the focus on me, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do.

This was the first time I was confronted, nigh slapped in the face, with how my racial and sexual identity conflicted with each other. Growing up in a religious Black family, I was more than familiar with the flamboyantly gay man wearing the salmon-colored suit and neck scarf who seemed to direct the choir at every Black church I had ever been to. Yet his reality was always swept under the rug. His partner was always referred to as “the roommate;” his reason for being unmarried was attributed to his being a “lifelong bachelor.” This is the real don’t ask, don’t tell policy – and it is far from being repealed. Despite being aware of this silencing and forced invisibility, I didn’t grasp how it applied to me.

Living in a predominantly white town, I was used to being the odd one out. As the only one in the classroom with caramel brown skin and curly hair, it was undeniable that I was different than most of my classmates. I always dreaded when we would do the unit on slavery in social studies; I could feel everyone looking at me out of the corner of their eye, wondering if their family has anything to do with my ancestors’ bondage. Worse yet was trying to fit in with the other Black kids on the playground or at camp. According to those kids, I talked like a white girl, listened to white music, and was just an all around Oreo: black on the outside, white on the inside. My parents taught me to be proud of my racial heritage. Yes, we were enslaved, but the fact that we made it here spoke to the strength and tenacity of our people. Yet, that was cold comfort as I sat alone while the other Black kids laughed at me for my precise diction or my love of The Beatles. Whatever blackness was, I was terrified that I was doing it wrong.

My mother abruptly pulled into a parking space and hurried me out of the car to get to the Sunday church service for which we were already ten minutes late. Yet, my brain was still in a fog, busy analyzing that harsh voice on the radio that seemed to speak directly to me, my mother's tacit approval only adding insult to injury. I had known for so long that I was different than everyone else. I wasn’t interested in chasing boys, playing with dolls, and planning the perfect wedding. If given the choice, I would have much preferred to run and jump in the mud with the boys and chase the girls on the playground, trying to nail the prettiest one with a kiss. However, if that voice on the radio was right, what did it mean about me? If there’s no such thing as a gay Black person, then who, or what, was I?

It took years of struggle and self-exploration to integrate my racial identity and sexual identity, eventually realizing that I didn’t have to pick one or the other. I learned about people like Bayard Rustin, a key organizer of the 1963 civil rights March on Washington, who was also an openly gay Black man. While learning about prominent LGBT people of color helped me integrate my identities, the most transformative act I took was learning about, and embracing, myself. As a leader of True Colors, the student group on my college campus that served as a support for queer students of color, I saw the power of my people. All of my people. For many members of True Colors, myself included, our group meetings were the first place where we felt we could be completely open and honest about who we truly were. We were able to actively reach out to both the LGBT community and the Black community on campus, bridging the seemingly insurmountable gap, bringing two historically disenfranchised groups together to recognize the similarities inherent in their struggle. From the March on Washington, to the Stonewall Riots, to the individual acts of advocacy that True Colors practiced, I learned that the only person who can silence me is myself.
That was brilliant. Congrats on your acceptance at UMichigan!

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by jecthoma » Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:35 pm

wow. this is one of the best statements i've read. so well spoken! i'm interested to know where you ended up at law school.


Sangiovese wrote:I guess I will throw mine into the pile as an example of a diversity statement for an old white guy :) Hopefully it will help someone.

Mine is longer than most examples here. The question prompt gave me 4 pages to work with so I decided to use it all.

Describe any personal accomplishments, experiences, or aspects of your background, including family educational background, socioeconomic history, personal hardship experiences, and ethnic background, that you believe will contribute a diverse perspective to the X School of Law educational environment. Explain how your accomplishments, experiences, or background have affected your viewpoint and how your perspective will enhance the learning atmosphere at X School of Law. Specifically, what perspective will you bring to the academic community, including the classroom, that you believe might otherwise be missing or underrepresented?
(Approximately 1-4 double spaced pages)



“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.”
– Helen Keller


While I am fortunate to have not faced the magnitude of adversity Ms. Keller overcame in her life, my experiences have proven the truth of her words. Three major experiences have shaped who I am today: growing up poor, completing the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program, and experiencing the death of my son. These life experiences have shaped my perception of the world and continue to guide me as I experience new challenges.

Growing up Poor
When recounting a childhood of limited means, people often mention words along the lines of, “I didn’t know we were poor.” My story is different. I was acutely aware that I came from a poor family. I knew that my schoolmates didn’t have popcorn for dinner as mine did on occasion (because it was inexpensive and filling). I knew that other kids’ Christmas presents didn’t come from the Salvation Army. I knew that not everyone’s parents were alcoholics. I knew my family was different, but it didn’t bother me. After all, there were people who were much worse off than we were. I was never homeless. I did not suffer the horrifying abuse that some do. And I almost always had something to eat, even if it was just a bowl of Jiffy Pop.

The lack of possessions never bothered me because the library always had books to read and it didn’t cost anything to play in the yard using makeshift toys. I didn’t mind getting teased about being a “free lunch kid” because most children were teased about one thing or another. The one thing that bothered me was the lack of expectations. Everyone seemed to assume that because I came from a poor family I was destined to struggle in school and never make anything out of my life. The stigma of low expectations followed me from my earliest days in the classroom until I graduated from high school. It was evident in the surprise and amazement displayed every time I took a standardized test and scored well above grade level. It was evident in the way that teachers never protested when I was lazy and didn’t turn in an assignment. It was evident by the fact that not a single person talked to me about going to college after high school.

Growing up poor wasn’t the biggest challenge of my youth. Growing up without any expectations was a far bigger obstacle to overcome. Nobody set a bar and challenged me to leap over it. I don’t know how high I could have jumped had I been challenged to push myself. Yet I still consider myself lucky. I learned to set my own expectations. I learned to motivate myself. I overcame the apathy of others and succeeded in my life’s pursuits. Most importantly, I learned not to judge a person by their circumstances, but by their reaction to those circumstances.

Completing the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program
After passing all the screening tests, completing basic training, and graduating from Electrician’s Mate “A” School, the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School was the next step to becoming a nuclear power plant operator. I had always done well in school and expected that trend would continue. Although the school had a 40% wash-out rate, I was confident that I would easily be in the 60% of graduates. I was wrong.

Nuclear Power School was the most rigorous academic and intellectual challenge of my life. Every day consisted of seven hours of lecture on topics like reactor physics, thermodynamics, advanced electrical theory, and mathematics. It was the proverbial “drinking from a fire hose” scenario and we were expected to soak up anything we missed before the process repeated again the next day. It didn’t take long for me to realize I was in over my head. Determined to succeed, I stayed in the building until well after midnight every day only to show up before dawn the next. The material was classified, as it uses examples from actual naval power plants, so all studying and homework had to be done in our classroom. I studied for at least eight hours a day on the weekends. Two months passed and, despite focusing all my effort on school, I was barely passing.

It was at this point that I started taking Lieutenant H’s class: Health Physics. Like all the other classes, the material came at breakneck speed and I struggled to keep up. I approached Lt. H after class to ask a question. He mentioned that I was one of his “2.5 to stay alive” students, meaning that he knew I was struggling in the program. And then he asked a question that literally changed everything. He asked if there was anything he could do to help me succeed in his class. We spoke at length about how I had always done well in school and on tests, but in Nuclear Power School I had been behind from the beginning. Like a doctor announcing his diagnosis, he proclaimed, “You’ve never been challenged before and you don’t know how to study.”

Lieutenant H spent an hour a week with me for the remainder of my time in his class. We never discussed content; he simply helped me to structure my study program and organize my tasks. I learned to take better notes and to highlight important concepts while reviewing them. He taught me the value of taking breaks during long study sessions to keep myself fresh and alert. It took a few weeks of practice before I got the new routine down, but the results were impressive. My grades immediately started improving. More importantly, I no longer felt lost and overwhelmed.

Nuclear Power School lasts six months and is divided into two halves. The second half is commonly referred to as “the dark side” due to the increased difficulty of the classes and a general downward trend in grades. I might have been the only student in my class to enjoy “the dark side.” With my new study skills, I was able to improve my grades while cutting back the time I spent in the building. I graduated from Nuclear Power School and excelled in the Nuclear Prototype training that followed, eventually being certified as a nuclear power plant operator and supervisor.

I learned many things in the Naval Nuclear Power Program, but the most important one was how to study when faced with academic challenges that cannot be met with ability alone. These study skills have served me well beyond Nuclear Power School. I use them frequently in my work as I learn how complicated communications and global positioning products operate so I can write training courses for operators and technicians. I employed them to learn about the telecommunications industry and underlying technology when I entered the field. I used them to graduate from X University with a 4.0 grade point average. And I will use them to be successful at X School of Law.

The Death of My Son
It is a sacrifice that warriors have made for centuries. We travel to distant lands in service to our country and are greeted upon our return by sons and daughters we have never met. Knowing this, I felt lucky to have even been present when my son, John Doe, was born on November 3rd, 1990. Five days later, I left for a three-month deployment to the North Atlantic. A deployment over the holiday season is always hard, but leaving my newborn son behind was especially difficult. My shipmates tried to cheer me up by pointing out that the first three months of parenthood are filled with a lot of sleepless nights and crying.

The separation of a deployment is particularly acute for submariners. We cannot receive mail or telephone calls on a submarine, so contact with loved ones is limited to receiving three “familygrams” of 16 words each during the deployment. The need to remain hidden prevents submarines from transmitting messages, so communication is one-way. Essentially, submarines and their crews simply disappear for months at a time. Fortunately, the demands of operating a submarine in sensitive areas of the world occupy the crew’s minds and the time passes quickly.

On February 4th we docked in Brest, France. The next morning I was called into the Executive Officer’s stateroom, where he told me that my son had died on February 3rd from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. I don’t remember exactly what he said. What words do you use to tell a man that his son has died? In fact, I don’t remember much about the next two days as I tried to get home from France. My journey began with a train ride to Paris on the TGV. At the station, a pair of French sailors picked me up and drove me to the U.S. Embassy a where I was given an airline ticket for the first flight home the next morning. I remember the Embassy driver dropping me off at a hotel and then picking me up the next morning after the longest and loneliest night of my life. The next clear memory I have was the burial. Everything between is a blur.

I spent four days with my son before I left to go to sea. Although he died 19 years ago, I often think of how limited the time we share with someone can be. My son’s brief life still impacts me every day: it shapes the way I interact with people. I pay attention. I form relationships rather than just going through the motions. I take an interest in what is going on in people’s lives. I have a very painful reminder that you never know how much time you will have to share with a person. I treasure every moment.

The diversity of our experiences shapes our character and colors our interactions with others. My life has been filled with experiences that have molded me into who I am now. Indeed, my soul has been strengthened and my vision cleared as a result of the trials I have had to overcome. I look forward to sharing my experiences and creating new ones with my classmates at X School of Law.

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linklincoln

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by linklincoln » Sun Jun 26, 2011 12:45 am

Question, does anyone feel the two-page limit on the PS severely hampered one's ability to accurately present one's experience? I had to cut a lot of stuff out to trim it down to two pages and I feel that prevented me from giving an encyclopedic picture of my experiences. Additionally, my DS is three pages long, is this acceptable? Thirdly, if anyone would be willing to go over my PS and DS, I would kindly appreciate it.

AA male
GPA: 3.9 (LSAC hasn't updated my latest transcript, it could be higher based on my latest transcript but as is, it's 3.9 according to LSAC)
Waiting for June scores.
I have an LSAC Waiver and plan on blanketing the T14 per TLS wisdom.
Etc.

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FantasticMrFox

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Re: Diversity Statement Samples

Post by FantasticMrFox » Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:00 am

Rheastoria wrote:
whirledpeas86 wrote:Here is my 2-page-long double spaced DS. I really think my DS was key in my cycle and helped me outperform my numbers (even for URM). I'll be attending Michigan in the fall. PM me if you have any questions!
From the March on Washington, to the Stonewall Riots, to the individual acts of advocacy that True Colors practiced, I learned that the only person who can silence me is myself.
That was brilliant. Congrats on your acceptance at UMichigan!

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