Diversity is a booming topic around Auburn University and to show how important it is The Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center hosted the Research Initiative for the Study of Diversity’s, “Understanding Differences that Matter,” conference on Oct. 29 and 30.

Patsy Carter, executive support specialist for the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs came to represent her department. Diversity and Multicultural Affairs is a sponsor to the Research Institute Initiative, therefore, Carter was able to play a large role in groundwork of the conference. “I have been working the conference,” Carter said, “literally working it.”

When I asked Carter what she hopes for Auburn to gain from the conference she said awareness “Awareness not necessarily of color, but just of different people because diversity is more then color.”

I asked Carter her feelings on why diversity is important and she told me a story.

She told me about a time when her family moved to Mississippi. They were in search of a new church and every Sunday they would attend a different one trying to find the perfect fit.

One afternoon, Carter and her 7-year-old daughter pulled up to a gas station. The gas attendant came out to greet them and to fill up their car.

Located next to the gas station was a church which they had not yet attended. Carter’s daughter leaned her head out the window and asked, “Mommy can we go to that church Sunday?”

Carter replied with a smile, “Sure honey.”

With a stunned look on his face, the gas attendant responded saying, “Ma’am, you do know that’s a colored church.”
Confused, Carter’s daughter asked, “What color are they?”

This small statement brought a smile to Carter’s face. She realized her daughter did not look at people because of their color, size, shape or any other feature, she looked at them for who they are.

Carter wants this conference to help the students be more like her 7-year-old daughter and not to look at people because of what is on the outside, but to look at people for who they are. “Accept people for who they are,” Carter said, “and do not try to categorize anyone, for we are all unique.”

Shirley Scott-Harris, director of the minority engineering program was another attendant at the conference. “This conference is a great way for Auburn students and faculty to gain an outside perspective,” she said, “It brings a different dimension to Auburn.”

This conference was a great opportunity for students and faculty to learn a lot. Auburn University worked very hard with the Research Initiative and as a student who was able to attend I would like to thank everyone who took part.


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