Welcome

At Lehigh we are committed to ensuring that every student, faculty, and staff member thrives in a truly inclusive environment. The Office of Inclusive Excellence and Belonging (OIEB) plays a central role in advancing A Lehigh for Everyone, a foundational initiative of the university's Inspring the Future Makers Strategy, dedicated to creating a campus where all individuals feel valued, supported and empowered to succeed. OIEB collaborates across the university--partnering with students, faculty, staff, senior administrators, trustees, alumni and community leaders--to foster a culture of belonging, remove barriers to success, and champion equitable opportunites for all. Our work is anchored by our advocacy centers:

  • The Gender, Leadership and Empower Center
  • The Center for Cultural Engagement
  • The Pride Center @LU
  • The Chaplain's Office and the Center for Spirituality and Dialogue
  • The Center for Student Access and Success

For six consecutive years, Lehigh has been recognized for its leadership in equity and inclusion as a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipient and a Diversity Champion for 2024-25. We invite you to explore our website, and those of our centers, to learn about the rich community here at Lehigh and all it has to offer you. 

 

Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Plan 2021-2026

Lehigh is committed to being an institution that strives to enhance inclusive excellence and belonging. Our ongoing goal is to ensure that all members of our community feel safe, valued and welcome. We have made important progress in strengthening our ability to listen, learn, adapt, improve, challenge, change and lead. We have much more work to do, and this work will evolve over time. Join us.

Read the plan here.
 

 

Insight Into Diversity 2024 HEED Diversity Champion Logo

We are proud to announce that Lehigh has been selected as a recipient of the INSIGHT Into Academia Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for a sixth straight year, earning the distinction of Diversity Champion. This is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion; only a limited number of schools are Diversity Champions, exemplifying visionary leadership in the commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging.  While we are honored to be recognized for the programs and resources we have developed so far, we remain committed to the work that needs to be done as we pursue our goal of becoming an antiracist institution and creating A Lehigh for Everyone.  For more information on the HEED Award and Diversity Champion status, click the respective links.

Meet Dr. Donald Outing

The Army veteran joined Lehigh from The United States Military Academy at West Point and leads institutional efforts to advance Lehigh's work on diversity, equity and inclusion. Read his perspective on Lehigh's efforts to cultivate a more diverse campus.   

News

BALANCE and LAAN members hang out at an event
May 3, 2024

Alumni Relations Recognized for Inclusive Excellence

The diligent work of many Lehigh alumni, alumni leaders, students, faculty, administrators, and staff has led to Development and Alumni Relations earning the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. Lehigh will be featured, along with 31 other recipients, in the June 2024 issue of the magazine for this award, and it's not the first time Lehigh has been recognized...
March 22, 2024

Two New Food Pantries Opened on Campus

Two new and expanded University food pantries were opened on campus this Spring. The pantries are designed to help students facing food insecurity, or even those in need of a quick snack between classes when a stop at the dining hall doesn't fit into their plans. The Asa Packer campus location is in the Health and Wellness Center in Johnson Hall's 3rd Floor Lobby, and the Mountaintop location is in Iaoccoa Hall in the College...
Lehigh community at the opening of the LTS CIRCLE resource center
January 15, 2024

Lehigh's Library and Technology Services Receive National Diversity Award

Lehigh's Library and Technology Services (LTS) have received a national honor for their commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity. INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine named Lehigh as an inaugural recipient of the Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award for 2024. The 56 recipients were selected because of their commitment to programs, policies and initiatives that encourage and support diversity, inclusion & equity across both their campuses and their surrounding communities. Read more here.
Paul Pagoda gives instructions to student and staff volunteers
January 15, 2024

MLK Day of Service 2024 Honors Dr. King's Legacy

Lehigh recogized the Martin Luther King National Day of Service on January 15 by granting staff time to volunteer for part or all of the day with local community organizations. Staff and student athletes participated in a variety of ways both on and off campus, honoring King's legacy of service to the community. Read more about the day here.
December 14, 2023

Lehigh Research Project receives $6 million NSF Award

The National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Directorate for Technology Innovation and Partnerships has awarded a four-year, $6 million award to Lehigh to aid faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in translating scientific discoveries to usable products, programs or prototypes that will benefit society. A university-wide, interdisciplinary team will lead the work at Lehigh, furthering the university's goals to take new research discoveries and develop them into practical solutions. Read more here.
December 5, 2023

Lehigh Receives 5th Consecutive HEED Award

Lehigh has been selected as a recipient of the Insight into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for a fifth consective year. This annual national award, intended to recognize colleges and universities that "demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion," recognizes Lehigh's commitment to creating a culture of belonging and a sense of welcome for all who spend time on campus. Read more here.
A dancer performs during festivities following the signing of an MOU between Delaware Nations and Lehigh
October 18, 2023

Partnership between Lehigh and Delaware Nation Announced

Lehigh University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on October 13 with Delaware Nation, a sovereign, federally recognized nation of the Lenape people who originally inhabited what is now South Bethlehem. The agreement is represenative of a reciprocal, ongoing partnership and has enabled the Delaware Nation to locate a branch of their historic preservation office on Lehigh's campus. Read more here.
Jason Hale, senior research scientist in the College of Health and IIS, performs with his family
October 17, 2023

State Tourism Office Partners with Lehigh to Promote Native American Culture

Though Pennsylvania is rich with Native American history, the lack of tribal communities remaining in the state means that the understanding of that history is either inaccurate or incomplete. “Hundreds of years of colonialistic and assimilationist U.S. federal Indian policies have contributed to this, as well as biases and prejudice among non-Native individuals, communities and institutes,” said Sean Daley, director of the Institute for Indigenous Studies at Lehigh. The IIS and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office...
Melissa Murray gives the 43rd Tresolini Lecture at Lehighs Neville Hall
September 20, 2023

Legal Expert Melissa Murray Discusses Supreme Court Decisions as 43rd Tresolini Lecture

In 2018, legal expert Melissa Murray testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee at Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearings. She predicted at that time that Kavanaugh, if confirmed, would provide the fifth vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, a prediction proven true in June 2022 in the Dobbs v. Jackson decision. At the 43rd Annual Tresolini Lecture on Lehigh's campus last week, Murray told attendees that the Dobbs decision could be an indication that...
June 9, 2023

Lehigh Community Takes Part in Juneteenth Lehigh Valley Celebrations

Members of the Lehigh community will be volunteering at Juneteenth Lehigh Valley's two signature events, and more members of the community will be attending the festivities. The Juneteenth parade, kicking off from Easton's Center Square on June 19th, will see a team of volunteers from Lehigh's Office of Communications and Public Affairs assisting. The Office of Multicultural Affairs will be tabling at the music festival held at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem on...

Events

Indigenous Cultures, Gender, & Health

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Indigenous Cultures, Gender, & Health

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Waffle Wednesdays at the Center for Student Access and Success

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Waffle Wednesdays at the Center for Student Access and Success

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