Personal Statement
As new student affairs professionals, we are committed to understanding and appreciating the impact of student diversity within higher education. While diversity itself is a complex phenomenon, it is something that must be embraced in order for equity to be realized across all college campuses. During the summer of 2010, we had the incredible opportunity to intern at Macquarie University in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The experience of working in student affairs abroad enlightened us both with a deeper awareness of what diversity means and how it contributes to the success of college students and professionals.

During our time spent working and traveling in Australia, we were introduced to the multifaceted struggle of the nation’s Indigenous people. Also known as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, these incredibly proud individuals reminded us of our own country’s Indigenous population of Native Americans. While Australia and the United States are on opposite ends of the world geographically, the people who first inhabited both countries share an amazingly similar history. Furthermore, Indigenous Australians and Native Americans continue to share a common modern day struggle as they attempt to navigate their respective country’s realm of higher education.

This blog reveals what we believe are key pieces in the puzzled history of Indigenous Australians and Native Americans, and how specific events, organizations, universities, colleges, and individuals have contributed to the current state of both group’s participation in higher education. Our research is not meant to be an all-encompassing review of such participation; rather, its purpose is to provide a student affairs perspective and a better understanding of two historically underrepresented groups in Australian and United States higher education.