Understanding across differences
Eckerd College has an institution-wide plan to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Our Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) collaborates with and supports all campus stakeholders as the College strives to strengthen its cultural competence and foster critical conversations that break boundaries, challenge stereotypes and advance understanding across differences.
DEIB in action at Eckerd
- Eckerd College students get into political spirit with debate-night bingo - September 18, 2024
- Eckerd College alumna delivers message of perseverance at Diversity Leadership Scholars banquet - April 25, 2024
- St. Pete Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center announces its third class of racial justice student fellows - October 31, 2023
- New ceremony honors Eckerd seniors from underrepresented groups - May 30, 2023
- Students find outlet for expression in Eckerd Pride Week tradition - May 17, 2023
Our statement
Eckerd College values the individuality of each community member and respects all members and their free expression. We encourage curiosity, global mindedness and developing the intrinsic leadership potential of students, faculty, staff and all members of our community.
Eckerd College believes in the educational benefit of critical thinking, open dialogue and civil discourse while looking through the lens of others. We embrace diversity of thought, challenging our own biases and systems of belief for greater understanding and compassionate connections.
We seek to provide all members of our community an experience that embraces diversity, cultivates conscientious citizenship and offers a sense of belonging regardless of an individual’s ability, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexuality, age or political affiliation.
We believe educational excellence can be achieved only through cultivating diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Five pillars to serve campus
Inclusive excellence focuses on:
ACCESS
Achieve a more diverse and inclusive student body, faculty and staff—using strategies to increase or maintain compositional diversity and retention of Eckerd students and employees.
CLIMATE
Create and sustain an environment that acknowledges and celebrates diversity and employs inclusive practices throughout our daily operations.
SCHOLARSHIP
Accomplish excellence in education and scholarship by offering courses, generating learning and creative opportunities, and designing curricula with attention to inclusion for students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Create and sustain an institutional infrastructure that effectively supports progress in achieving diversity objectives in the 2021–2026 “ONWARD: Strategy in Action” strategic plan.
ENGAGEMENT
Use Eckerd’s mission as a liberal arts college to provide lifelong learning opportunities to members of the local community and marginalized populations.
Center for Inclusive Excellence
A comfortable place on campus to decompress, express oneself and connect with others who celebrate diversity
We welcome everyone to use our Center, which opened on May 11, 2023 in Lindsey Hall.
Anyone who shares this space becomes a steward of it and our vision for an inclusive campus community.
We are grateful for the Inclusive Excellence student ambassadors who help manage the Center. Together we are creating a campus where people from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and with diverse identities can exist with equity, feel included and experience belonging.
