Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

A diverse group of GW students walking together on the National Mall with the Washington Monument in the background

Columbian College is committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for its students, faculty, staff and other members of our community.

Our principles, as established by the university, guide our conduct and decision-making.

Affinity Groups

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council

Our Principles

Students
The university is committed to recruiting, admitting, and enrolling undergraduate and graduate students drawn from varying backgrounds or identities throughout all schools and departments.
Faculty and Staff Workforce
The university is committed to recruiting, interviewing, and hiring faculty, staff, and senior administrators drawn from varying backgrounds and identities throughout all departments and schools.
Board and Council Membership
The university’s governing and advisory bodies reflect the rich diversity of our community and the geographic community in which we reside.
Community Partners
The university shares its commitment to diversity and inclusion with its local, national, and international partners and seeks partners that reflect the diversity of our community. Organizations with a proven record of a commitment to diversity and an ongoing demonstration of these values in their governing and employment practices, delivery of products and services and organizational philosophies are given strong consideration in competitive circumstances.
Teaching and Research
Diversity is of vital importance to the university’s intellectual mission. Various perspectives inform GW’s curricular, co-curricular, and research endeavors resulting in creative and innovative outcomes and helping attract and retain individuals with diverse backgrounds. In addition, these activities allow faculty and students to engage in rigorous critical analysis of cultural, ethnic, racial, and other related differences.
Inclusion
The university holds its members accountable for sustaining an academic, work, and social environment that values open communication, respectful interactions, and civility. We have a shared responsibility for the well-being of others.

Student Opportunity: CCAS Social Justice and Equity Fellowship

CCAS undergraduate students are invited to apply for the new Social Justice and Equity Fellowship! Fellows spend a summer working with a faculty mentor on a research or creative project in the theme of social justice and equity.

Learn More and Apply

Cassie Green working with a microscope and computer on a museum collection

Inclusive Excellence

Kelly Pemberton teaching at the front of a classroom, with content about Islamic mysticism projected behind her

The CCAS Inclusive Excellence Initiative underscores the college’s commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all our faculty, staff and students. The initiative includes new faculty searches aimed at increasing curricular inclusivity and growing the diversity of our ranks.

Inclusive Excellence Initiative

University Resources

2 students working together on a bingo sheet

a groups of volunteers at Proud to be GW Day

a diverse group of students taking a selfie

door sign that says Disability Support Services

A few tip sheets at the GW Counseling services, some text on the sheets read, "GW victim services specialist" and "bystander tips"

August 10, 2022

Blind from birth, John P. Benison, BA ’93, has triumphed over life challenges, thanks in part to his parents and GW, which he attended with scholarship support.

Body of Work: Student Artist Deconstructs Stereotypes

March 10, 2022

Artist Wes Holloway has a fascination with the physical. Body images and the ways society responds to the human form is a theme that’s defined Holloway’s work.

Saving MLK: Alumnus Author Recounts King’s Days of Peril

January 12, 2022

Just weeks before the presidential election, King’s ordeal was the ultimate “October surprise” for the two candidates, John Kennedy and Richard Nixon.