La Sierra University was named the top school in the "Campus Diversity: Universities-Master’s (West)" category according to U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best College’s 2004 issue.

“I am excited to be recognized for this success,” says Jennifer Tyner, vice president for student life. “La Sierra has a unique flavor that you might not find outside of southern California. I think we really represent the population we are serving, and when you come here you learn about different cultures. It also shows that we are living our motto. The first sentence reads, ‘La Sierra University is a diverse community of inquiry, learning and service rooted in the Christian gospel.’”

“College-bound students who believe that studying with people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds is important will want to consider student body diversity when choosing a school,” says U.S. News. To identify colleges where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own, U.S. News factors in the total proportion of minority students—leaving out international students—and the overall mix of groups.

“As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Education decision, we should be proud that La Sierra is recognized in the U.S. News & World Report as the most diverse institution in the western part of the nation,” says Ella S. Simmons, Ed.D., La Sierra provost and vice president for academic administration. “It is at moments such as this that we can reaffirm commitment to our motto: from diversity, community."

By Tammy Fisher, director of public relations