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

Students in the Intro to Chemistry Lab
February 17, 2022

Cultivating Student Belonging in the Classroom

Lehigh's Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Equity and the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) hosted a two-day workshop designed to help faculty and teaching assistants better understand and welcome the diverse populations of students in their classes and labs. The Inclusive Excellence in Teaching & Learning workshop welcomed guest speaker Dr. Omid Fotuhi, director of learning innovation at WGU Labs, who addressed belonging--what it is, why it matters, and strategies that can...
Attendees of the first OMA BIPOC Retreat
December 10, 2021

OMA Hosts First BIPOC Retreat

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) hosted its first BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) retreat, with the aim of allowing folks from different cultures, religions and socio-economic statuses to find the intersections of their shared experience. Approximately 14 students attended from all class years including graduate students, along with several staff members. Activities included hiking, making s'mores, a game night, and presentations by various guest speakers. The focus was on creating space for those...
Dr. Lesley Chow and students in her lab
November 9, 2021

Building a DI&E Culture in Research Groups

Dr. Donald Outing, vice president for equity and community, and Dr. Lesley Chow, assistant professor of materials science and bioengineering, shared thoughts with Science Magazine on incorporating DI&E initiatives into research groups and classes. The article, titled "How to begin building a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in your research group," the magazine posits that to advance science, insitutional strategic plans must thoughtfully craft a culture that honors DI&E principles. "By not creating more...
Students in the CGE Lounge
September 21, 2021

Celebrating 30 Years of the Center for Gender Equity

Lehigh's Center for Gender Equity (CGE) has been educating, raising awareness and providing information to campus and beyond since 1991, providing a safe space for all students, faculty & staff to talk about women, gender and LGBTQ+ issues. Previously known as the Women's Center, it was created following a comissioned study on women and minorities. Kathy Calabrese, founder and former part-time director, said the Center improved communications among men and women on campus and allowed...
Alumni Memorial Building in Autumn
September 8, 2021

The Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Strategic Plan

Last year, the Lehigh community began a process to develop a Diversity, Inclusion & Equity (DIE&) Strategic Plan to continue the work of bulding an inclusive Lehigh campus. The goal is to remove roblocks that stand in the way of success for all and to foster a deep sense of belonging for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. We are proud to release a framework of our priorities and updates on actions taken to...
Charles Marcon at home with a book
August 17, 2021

Generous Gift Leads to New Social Justice Institute

A $2.5 million gift from Charles Marcon, Bethlehem resident and Lehigh collaborator and supporter, will create the Marcon Institute. The core activity of the Institute will be to prepare undergraduate scholars (who will be known as Marcon Fellows) to work with community partners as change agents in the areas of anti-racism and social justice. Marcon, a noted philanthropist in the area and CEO of Duggan & Marcon, developed an awareness of racial equity issues while...
March 31, 2021

Virtual Discussion with Author Beverly Daniel Tatum Addresses Antiracism

Spelman College President Emerita Beverly Daniel Tatum, well known as an expert in race relations and a higher education thought leader, visted Lehigh for a virtual Q&A hosted by the MLK Celebration Committee and spoke on themes from her best selling work Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Tatum stressed the importance of antiracism's role in disrupting some of the pressing issues regarding race relations today, such as voter suppression...
Students on campus near EWFM Library
March 10, 2021

Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Survey Results Offer Insights into Campus Climate

As part of the ongoing efforts to foster a diverse, inclusive and equitable campus, Lehigh participated in the HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey, launched in April 2020. Results, received in Fall 2020, show that though Lehigh students, faculty and staff are "generally" to "very satisfied" with the overall campus climate for diversity and equity, those with differing identities experience campus differently. "These disparities identify the work that still needs to be done and...
Linderman Library at night
October 30, 2020

Lehigh Joins Effort to Develop Inclusive Faculty Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Practices

Lehigh has joined a national alliance aimed at developing more inclusive and diverse STEM faculty, one of 19 universities to join the cohort. The effort, known as Aspire: The National Alliance for Inclusive & Diverse STEM Faculty, is co-lead by The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the Center for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL). This is a three-year effort designed to ensure that all STEM faculty use inclusive teaching practices...

Events

Waffle Wednesdays at the Center for Student Access and Success

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Waffle Wednesdays at the Center for Student Access and Success

Date:
Time: -

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