Before going away to college, Elizabeth Martin had led an insulated life. Growing up, the people in her neighborhood, the students in her schools, and the friends she spent most of her time with were just like her. Martin's parents and the parents of her friends were all successful white-collar professionals who were able to give their children the material advantages of wealth. They talked alike, dressed alike, drove the same kinds of cars, liked the same kinds of food, were members of the same clubs, and voted for the same political candidates. There was little or no diversity in Elizabeth Martin's life from birth through high school. However, this situation changed radically when she went away to college. Rather than enroll at the same elite private institution most of the young people from her neighborhood attended, Martin chose to attend her grandfather's alma matera public university located in a major city. As a result, overnight Martin went from a life of uniformity to a life of diversity. The starkness of the change in her life was shocking. Martin felt like she had been dropped onto an alien planet. She had never interacted with people of other races, cultures, worldviews, and perspectives. The change was overwhelming. At first, Martin had difficulty adjusting. In fact, she became so distraught that her grades suffered and she contemplated dropping out and going home. After seeking the help of a member of the university's counseling staff, Martin decided to make some adjustments and persevere. As Martin walked out of the counselor's office, his words echoed in her thoughts: "You need to overcome the prejudice you've learned."

In this scenario, Elizabeth Martin grew up in a corner of the world where people were almost uniformly alike. Consequently, when she went away to college the diversity she encountered was so alien to her as to be overwhelming. To her credit, Martin decided to stay in college and work on overcoming her learned prejudice.

Have you ever known someone who was uncomfortable in a diverse setting? If so, discuss the situation and its outcome. If Elizabeth Martin was your friend and asked for advice about overcoming the prejudice she learned growing up, what would you tell her?