student diversity

New England College in Henniker works to recruit diverse student body

New England College in Henniker works to recruit diverse student body

In a state where colleges struggle to recruit a diverse student body, New England College in Henniker reports that currently 36.2 percent of its 1,135 resident students identify as African American, Hispanic, Asian or more than one race. Michele Perkins, who has been the college’s president for 14 years, said that at one time people told her the goal of campus diversity in a rural area of the Granite State would be “impossible or very difficult.” “I didn’t believe it,” she said.

For diverse students, affinity groups provide a safe haven

For diverse students, affinity groups provide a safe haven

Whether known as peer-led support groups or affinity groups, a crucial strategy in attracting and retaining students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds is fostering ethnic-oriented student organizations to provide encouragement and counter feelings of isolation. Data and research show these groups can have an impact on retention rates among college students of color by creating a sense of belonging.