The College of Communications is proud that students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups comprise 12 percent of its undergraduate student population. The College plans to continue its diversity recruitment initiative to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Top priority is placed on recruitment, retention and graduation of our students including, historically underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities; persons with disabilities; persons from low-income families who would be first-generation college students; veterans; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons; and women.

"I believe that cultural pluralism is everyone's concern. The concept of diversity should not be isolated. It should be interwoven throughout the very fabric of our daily operation and into every aspect of collegial practice. We in the College of Communications are on the cutting edge of technology, and we meet the resulting challenges with excitement and vigor. We will apply that same excitement and vigor to meeting the needs of diversity for the twenty-first century. I am dedicated to ensuring that our college achieves its recruitment and retention goals of diversity by involving our entire community."
-Joseph M. Selden

• Academic
  Financial, personal and career counseling are provided.
  
• Scholarships
  Identifying students from underrepresented groups for national, College of Communications, and University-wide grant and scholarship awards is one of the office's priorities.
  • All College Scholarship Opportunities
  • Knight Diversity Scholarship
    
• Diversity Initiatives
  • To actively recruit and retain diverse faculty, including women and international faculty.
  • To institute systematic climate improvement initiatives and assessment processes.
  • To focus on linking recruitment and retention of diverse students.
  • Diversity Strategic Plan
  • Final Assessment: Framework to Foster Diversity
    
• Student Organizations
  • African/Hispanic/Asian/Native American (AHANA) Students in the College of Communications design cultural heritage activities for the College.
  • The Penn State chapter of the National Association of Minorities in Communications (NAMIC) links with corporate executives in cable and information management industries like HBO, CNN, BET, ESPN, C-SPAN, and many others.
  • Penn State Association of Journalists for Diversity (PSAJD), the Penn State student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) provides opportunities for students to meet broadcast and print journalists from all diverse journalism organizations and to attend national conferences.
  • The Penn State chapter of Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT)networks with corporate executives from cable and information management industries.
    
• Two-Week High School Journalism Workshop
  The College of Communications offers a two-week Multicultural High School Journalism Summer Workshop for students interested in exploring journalism. Selected students receive a full scholarship to attend the workshop and publish a 12-page tabloid newspaper.
  
• Recruitment Phone-a-thon
  Diverse undergraduate and graduate students conduct annual phone-a-thons to recruit diversity students and assist with their admissions applications.