Otterbein College is proud be home to a rich diversity of cultures, lifestyles, and ideas. The College promotes diversity and respect through its many programs and activities on campus, including:

Nearly 50 areas of study, including Black Studies; Women's Studies; Religion and Philosophy; Urban Sociology; and Integrative Studies courses that explore cultural and religous issues.

2006 Black Baccalaureate Ceremony - Celebrating Our African American Graduates!

Several clubs and organizations focusing on diversity, including the Asian Student Interest Group, The African-American Student Union, Freezone, and the International Students Association. These groups sponsor educational programming as well as plenty of opportunities for socializing.

Programs focusing on cultural diversity, such as The William Henry Fouse Black Studies Festival, the International Festival, Latino Awareness Month, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrations, and the Women's Studies Festival. As part of our observance of Black History month last year, Otterbein brought jazz greats Branford and Ellis Marsalis to campus to teach classes and perform a concert. All events sponsored by the Office of Ethnic Diversity can be found on their calendar here.

Prominent guests to campus who represent diverse backgrounds and ideas such as Pulitzer Prize winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, author and actress Anna DeVeare Smith, the Reverend Martin Marty, composer Marvin Hamlisch, and actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis.

Theme housing that provides opportunities for students with common interests to live and learn together in houses on campus. Residents of each house take part in special programming events that will benefit the residents and the campus community as a whole. Two houses are permanent features of the Residence Life Program; the other six houses may alternate each year, depending on the applications submitted for selection. The House of Black Culture is a permanent theme house.