Purpose: Underrepresented groups have fought for equal access to higher education, which spurred the development of "minority" initiatives. However, the assault on affirmative action and race-based initiatives have led many universities to retreat toward more all-encompassing "diversity" initiatives. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the author examines two historically white public research universities. The data include 70 participants with voices of faculty, key administrators, students and recent alumni (within the past three-five years). Findings: Analyzed through a pattern matching technique, the findings from this study suggest important financial benefits for the "multicultural" engineering program and a sense of communal support for both the "multicultural" and "minority" engineering program. Originality/value: Given the international attention of raced-based initiatives, this study provides forward-looking insights based on the experiences and perspectives of key stakeholders.