Get It Together PETE: Utilizing Geographic Diversity to Provide Students New Collaborations

Regional institutions may lack diversity due to a largely local enrollment base. Cross-university collaborations offer a unique way to introduce students in these isolated settings to peers from different regions and backgrounds. This study involved 72 students from three universities who were paired up to complete course assignments and reflections. After the conclusion of the semester, students' written reflections were downloaded and analyzed to identify common themes. Simultaneously, the three professors involved formally debriefed and recorded their reflections. Five student themes were identified, including: (a) challenges, (b) recognizing diversity, (c) acknowledging assumptions, (d) noticing connections and (e) positives. The findings of the present study suggest cross-university collaborations can be an effective way to introduce students enrolled at regionally isolated institutions to some sense of diversity.