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Before the school year began, student leadership advisor, Alex Piedras wanted to spread the word of diversity on campus. He wanted to show people that we might be much more diverse than we think we are, so we shouldn’t be discriminating against people that are different than us.

Grand View gave 15 student leaders the opportunity to get their DNA tested through ancestory.com. The students were chosen by responding to an email on a first come, first serve basis.

After about a month of anxiously waiting, the results came back. Here is what three of the 15 students shared about their journey.

Mackenzie Herman-Olson, junior psychology major, has been told she was Norwegian and German. Her results came back and she was shocked at what she saw. She learned that she is less than 1% German, 58% Scandinavian and 25 % British. She took these results back to her parents and they were also surprised. They never had a clue that they were Scandinavian. Herman-Olson plans to learn and incorporate some of her heritage traditions into her own traditions.

“My family’s favorite meal is Swedish pancakes. We have always made these without even knowing we were Swedish and now I plan to keep this tradition with me, even when I have my own family,” Herman-Olson said.

Slightly different from Herman-Olson, Carlos Rodriguez, sophomore secondary education major, wasn’t too surprised from his results. It was confirmed what he had been taught his whole life, he had ancestors from all around the world.

Rodriguez found out that he is 30% Western European as well as 24% African and 14% Native American.

Rodriguez is from Puerto Rico and has taken history classes talking a lot about where his ancestors most likely came from. Taking the test was a chance to reassure him that what he’s been taught his whole life.

“This confirmed everything I have always known to be true,” Rodriguez said.

Bailey Starner, junior graphic design major, learned that she is 100% from Europe. Her dad’s family has always been certain that they had Native American in their DNA and that did not show up on Starner’s results.

The one surprise that came for Starner was that most of her DNA reflected her mom’s side of the family.

“A lot of the DNA that showed on my results reflected my mom’s side of the family and when people see me, they say I look more like my dad,” explained Starner.

All three students agreed that these DNA tests sparked interest in many other student leaders and students on campus. The tests made students realize that we are all connected in some way and we shouldn’t hold a grudge against people that are different than us.

“We can all learn from the idea that you never know exactly where you come from, so we shouldn’t discriminate people that are different than us,” said Rodriguez.

These students are encouraging other Grand View students to also take the test. They also encouraged talking to your parents and seeing how much, if anything, they know about their DNA. Afterward, when you take the test, it will give all the family a chance to track back to your earliest ancestors and learn more about exactly where you came from.