College is supposed to be a transformative experience. Beyond the educational value, the idea is for a student to be pushed to grow by being put in unfamiliar social situations.

Such is the value of a diverse campus. Many students will come to Oswego State having been surrounded by people similar to them, whether in race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, economic status or even in interests, during their time in high school. In college, a person can experience immense growth simply by being around people that are different from them.

College is supposed to be an exchange of ideas, a concept that absolutely should spread beyond the classroom. Students should look to surround themselves with people from different backgrounds who hold different beliefs. This is the best way a person can grow and expand their worldview.

While the City of Oswego may lack this type of diversity, Oswego State has shown positive signs. As reported in this week’s news article “Numbers show campus diversity increasing overall,” the school has become a more diverse university in the last several years, both in students and professors.

This is an important trend to note, especially for a SUNY school. The idea of SUNY schools is access, so it stands to reason that as Oswego State draws more often from diverse sets of background, different groups of people will have gained access to education.

The Oswegonian hopes to see Oswego State continue this trend.