Consul General Speeches

Diversity as an Asset, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, November 18, 2008

Good afternoon.  Thanks very much for including me in this afternoon’s discussions.  Mr. Smit has already referred to diversity as an asset and I agree that this is a powerful way to approach diversity issues in an academic setting.

An annual report of international students in the United States just came out yesterday and I thought you might be interested in a couple of the results.  The Institute of International Education closely tracks foreign student attendance at U.S. schools of higher education and their “Open Doors” report for 2008 announced that the number of international students in the U.S. increased by 7% to a record number of 623,805 for this academic year.  UCLA generally ranks very high on the list of institutions with a large number of foreign students and this year was no exception:  UCLA was among the top ten universities nationwide with a foreign student population of 5,557.

Why is this study important?  It speaks directly to the value we place on diversity in our educational communities.

To comprehend why we work so hard to welcome foreign students to America, I think it is important to understand that diversity within the United States means many things beyond race, ethnicity or national origin.  First of all, the United States is a vast country, where cultural differences abound not only as a result of the many people from countries all over the world that have chosen to call America home, but in a number of other ways.  There are pronounced generational divides.  Differences between rural and urban cultures.  Conspicuous regional distinctions.  The “red and blue states” that we are all so familiar with after 22 months of presidential campaign coverage.  And yes, even language differences.  Add to these elements the unique cultures that African Americans, Ukrainian Americans, Irish Americans, Mexican Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Native Americans and a host of others have brought to us and you begin to understand the diverse aspects of American diversity.

What underpins the American experience of diversity is our immigrant history.  The success of America as an immigrant nation stems in large measure from the social, political and economic integration of large numbers of immigrants even as they maintain a strong ethnic identity.  We recognize that ethnic and cultural diversity has had a dramatic effect on the American landscape.  We also understand that people with diverse backgrounds, talents and ideas are the driving force behind our economic success, as they have contributed their ambition and their initiative in an environment that welcomes these attributes.
This is not to say that issues of diversity in the U.S. are not contentious, or that Americans are always accepting of newcomers.  Today we still have demons to fight in the shape of racism, xenophobia and discrimination.

In my own organization for example, we have worked hard to grow beyond the origins of the State Department and the Foreign Service when opportunities were limited for anyone other than an elite group drawn primarily from select universities in the United States.  In fact, up until 1970, if a female officer got married while serving in the Foreign Service, she was forced to resign.  Yet today we strive to create a Foreign Service that reflects the diversity of America, knowing that this is one of America’s strengths.  And I am proud to say that I have worked for the first female Secretary of State, the first African American Secretary of State, and the first female African American Secretary of State.  Who will be our next Secretary – I’ll not hazard a guess today.

At the heart of the American republic is the knowledge that diversity renews and strengthens.  If I may quote from President-elect Barack Obama’s eloquent acceptance speech on the night of the U.S. elections, he spoke stirringly of the many diverse communities that had come together to send a message of unity and communal strength.  He said,

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

It is a privilege for me to be part of today’s discussions as the Vrije Universiteit and UCLA embark on a cooperative relationship to help these institutions, their faculty and students pursue excellence by valuing diversity.

Thank you.