Ryan
I think that the students at my school are very friendly, open, and intelligent. I honestly have very little to nothing to say negatively about them. The fellow students I have encountered have all been capable, interested in learning but having fun in college at the same time, and willing to put forth the effort to succeed in life.
I have experienced a couple interesting groups on campus. A friend of mine invited me to a Big Brothers, Big Sisters meeting where students "adopt" a high school student with special needs and participates in events with them once a month. I thought it was a beautiful activity to engage in. I am also a member of Sigma Tau Delta, Lewis' chapter of the National English Honor Society, Delta Epsilon Sigma, the National Catholic Honor Society, and Teachers of Tomorrow, an organization on campus for aspiring teachers. All of these extracurricular activities have afforded me with valuable learning experiences outside of the classroom and given me opportunities (such as volunteering with students and writing a school journal) to better me as an individual and prospective teacher.
The only type of student I would say might feel out of place at Lewis is one who is not interested in socializing with others. Due to its welcoming atmosphere, all who come to Lewis have the opportunity to meet new people and friends in classes, the dormitories, or clubs. Although I was initially rather introverted, I met new friends that helped "pull me out of my shell" and become a more outgoing person.
Most students wear a mix of casual attire (such as a shirt and jeans) to very informal attire (like a sweatshirt and sweatpants). There is no "status quo" and people do not look down on other peers for not wearing the most fashionable outfits. As a university setting, many students were this casual clothing and fit right in, although more formal attire is more presentable and engaging on the day of a presentation or clinical experience.
Yes, students of all different backgrounds interact. I myself have friends of different religions, races, and ethnicities, and honestly do not even consciously notice these distinctions anymore. I look at all of my friends equally, and have not heard of any mentions of racism, sexism, or other prejudices at Lewis University. This again attests to its culturally responsive and open-minded learning environment.
There is a fair blending of commuter and resident students, and all do seem to mingle. While I know from personal experience that commuter students sometimes struggle socializing with others if they just attend classes and go home, but if they get involved in extracurricular activities and eat in the dining halls, it is easy to make new friends and interact with others.
Most financial backgrounds seem to be students from middle class homes (like myself), although this does vary occasionally. Furthermore, politics are not heavily discussed at school, and I have friends from predominantly left-wings standpoints to conservative opinions to the middle stances. These different backgrounds (financial, political, or not) help contribute to Lewis' great sense of diversity.