A Look Into Diversity At Point Loma Nazarene University

By Ava Baily-Klugh, Grace Chaves, Zoey Peters, Spencer Gorka, Kiera Evans

A photo of the Greek at Point Loma Nazarene University by Ava Bailey-Klugh

Digging In

White. Skinny. Blonde. These are the words that students at Point Loma Nazarene University used to describe the physical appearance of their peers. While some students have found a sense of belonging at PLNU, others say it can be difficult to find community when these are the words that come to mind.

Point Loma Nazarene University’s enrollment data suggests a campus that is becoming increasingly diverse. But interviews and survey responses from students reveal a more complicated reality: many still perceive PLNU as overwhelmingly white, particularly within the traditional undergraduate population where most campus life takes place.

Institutional data from fall of 2025 shows that 47% of PLNU students identified as white. However, among traditional undergraduate students, that percentage rises to 56%. Data from the Integrated Postesecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) reflects a campus that is diversifying numerically. However, student experiences suggest those changes are not always visible in everyday campus culture

Racial and ethnic makeup of all PLNU students

This chart reflects the racial and ethnic makeup of PLNU’s entire student population, including graduate and adult degree-completion programs. Institutional data shows no racial group forms a majority of PLNU’s total student body, though white students remain the largest demographic group

Racial and ethnic diversity of different student groups

University-wide enrollment data paints a more diverse picture than the traditional undergraduate population many students interact with daily. Institutional data shows that white students make up a larger share of PLNU’s traditional undergraduate population than of the university overall.

PLNU’s enrollment data shows that, since 2015, the total number of students identifying as non-white has increased 10%. However, interviews and survey responses from students reveal a more complicated reality: Many still perceive PLNU as overwhelmingly white, particularly within the traditional undergraduate population where most campus life takes place.

Student Voices

Several students interviewed for this story said the university’s marketing materials and location in Southern California led them to expect a more visibly diverse student body before arriving on campus. A nonscientific survey of thirteen students, conducted for this project, also found that students generally perceived PLNU as less diverse after attending than they had initially expected.

The gap between institutional demographics and what student perception appears throughout interviews conducted for this story.

Nina Thomson, a second-year international studies major, came to PLNU after growing up in Japan. Prior to coming to PLNU Thomson asked her admissions counselor if she knew the percentage of international students or students with a more diverse background was on campus. Her counselor said that was something they were working on. When Thomson eventually came to PLNU, she thought the campus would be more diverse.

“I did like converse with my parents that there was more of a, I would say, white American population, for sure, more than I expected,” Thomson said. “It was kind of more on my part, to intentionally seek out people who possibly came from different cultures, from different countries, or were international students.”

Thomson guessed that the population of students on campus that weren’t white would likely be between 15-25%. Thomson said she doesn’t necessarily believe that the diversity shown in marketing for PLNU is entirely accurate or inaccurate.

“Honestly, on campus, I feel like in the leadership and the club aspect, I think there's a lot of diversity, but other things, I think it kind of lacks it."

Rianna Nowlin, a fourth-year Christian studies major, has been involved with the Office of Multicultural and International Student Services (OMISS) during her time at PLNU. She said that it’s been great to be part of OMISS, but organizations like these must continue so people of color can feel like they belong on campus.

“Over the years, clubs and events through [Multicultural Opportunities for Students Actively Involved in Community] (MOSAIC) and OMISS have become more prominent and seen on campus,” Nowlin said. “I think continuing that could be huge. And reminding students — specifically students of color — that their voice, their perspective does matter here. … No student’s voice should be discounted.”

Nowlin guessed that 30-40% of students at PLNU aren’t white. She said that sometimes she thinks PLNU’s marketing accurately reflects the actual statistics, but other times it does not.

“I’ve heard people joke about like … [marketing] photographers are more likely to want to include students of color in the photos to, you know, portray a diversity perspective. Which is really important, and then sometimes that can also be misleading for incoming students.”

Nowlin said that while this diversity is good to have captured in photos and on PLNU’s website, they don’t encapsulate the actual percentages.

“I actually chose San Diego as the spot that I wanted to study because it's bordering Tijuana, and I wanted to make sure I was able to have sort of that community … that I grew up with,” Armstrong said. “And then I got here and it was very overwhelmingly white.”

Armstrong said that even if the percentage of nonwhite students on campus is more than 9%, PLNU needs to create spaces for a more accurate representation of diversity on campus, since the current diversity lacks noticeability.

“We need to be able to feel that as non-white students."

While both students mentioned that they’re grateful for the clubs PLNU provides to students of color, they’re still left wanting a more diverse college experience, and a chance to hear from other people's perspectives.

The students are not the only ones who have noticed this gap between statistical data and lived realities. Richard Eberheart, director of multicultural and international student services, noticed the disconnect.

“When I first started here, when I looked at the demographics … [they] show something a little bit different than what is felt on campus,” Eberheart said. “I would attribute that to the kind of powers of assimilation. Students feel like they have to kind of fit into a certain style, certain aesthetic, a certain type of dress, [a] certain type of speech.”

Eberheart said that a student who may be part Asian or part Middle Eastern, but has features like fair skin or light hair, might try to “blend in” to Point Loma.

“Students that don't have those certain features or certain aesthetics may not be able to do that as easily. They can tend to feel a little more, kind of, ostracized, left out, even if not necessarily intentionally, but just kind of societally.”

Eberheart said he hopes for more overall student engagement in programming and events for groups like the Black Student Union, Asian Student Union, Middle Eastern Association and more. These groups regularly host campus events, which he hopes to see full one day.

Comparison to other universities

Compared with other private Christian universities in Southern California, PLNU’s demographics are not unusual. Data from IPEDS shows many peer institutions maintain majority-white undergraduate populations, though the proportions vary significantly by school.

The numbers suggest PLNU is changing demographically. But for many students interviewed for this project, diversity is measured less by enrollment statistics than by whether students feel represented, visible, and connected in campus life.

Ethics & Limitations

Our journalistic investigation focused on how campus marketing promotes an image of diversity that may not fully reflect students’ lived experiences. Because this topic involves personal identity, belonging, and perceptions of inclusion, ethical considerations were especially important in both data collection and analysis. We wanted to ensure that students felt safe sharing honest opinions without fear of judgment. To do this, we prioritized informed consent by clearly explaining the purpose of our interviews and surveys, how responses would be used, and that participation was completely voluntary.

Privacy concerns were significant because students discussing race, identity, or feelings of exclusion could be vulnerable to social or academic discomfort if identified. To prevent harm, we avoided collecting unnecessary personal identifiers. In interviews, we asked for permission before quoting participants directly. We also made an effort to present responses fairly and avoid taking quotes out of context, since misrepresentation could cause emotional harm or distort the issue.

There were also limitations in our data. Our sample size was relatively small and may not represent the full student body, especially students who chose not to participate or were less accessible during data collection. Response bias may also be present, as students with stronger opinions about campus diversity may have been more likely to respond. Additionally, personal experiences with diversity are subjective, which means perceptions can vary widely depending on background and identity. Institutional marketing materials themselves may also be interpreted differently by different students. Because of these factors, our findings reflect important perspectives but should not be viewed as a complete or universal representation of campus experiences. Our investigation used a nonscientific student survey and data reported by the institution to the Department of Education.