Vision and Mission

At GW, we know that studying and working at a university that reflects and embraces a rich and broad range of human experiences and perspectives is extremely important. Not only does it enrich the quality and vibrancy of campus life, it increases our capacity to learn and create knowledge, and prepares us for engaged citizenship and leadership in an increasingly diverse and global society.

Our mission and vision are driven by our commitment to inclusive excellence. Inclusive excellence is the recognition that an organization’s success is conditional on how well it engages, includes, and honors the rich diversity of its community members, including its students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and affiliates. We believe in order to understand and work toward inclusive excellence, it is critical to acknowledge and embody the following:

Go beyond noticing and acknowledging our differences to embracing differences.
Recognize that education, policies, curriculum, physical space, access to basic needs, systems, and overall conditions impact the community’s ability to thrive
Believe that each unique person and experience contributes to our learning
Believe having an array of different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences is essential for academic excellence
Understand that having differences comes with the responsibility to ensure that everyone is able to fully participate, remain authentic, thrive, feel safe, and lead

To help our community build and leverage these outcomes, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement is guided by the following vision and mission statements:

Vision:

The Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement aspires to build a university community where every individual is empowered to thrive, evolve, and contribute to a culture of inclusive excellence. By collectively embracing the rich diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences of all members of the GW community, we will cultivate a university where each member feels seen, heard, valued, and always respected, reaching the pinnacle of academic and inclusive excellence. Together as OneGW, we will lead boldly and with intention through a culture of shared responsibility, forging a future where inclusion for all is a cornerstone of our collective success.

Mission:

The Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement supports GW’s strategic priorities and aspirations for inclusive excellence by providing education, opportunities for community engagement, outreach and support, and consultation to improve and enhance the following, in order to promote and foster the most inclusive community:

teaching and learning
sense of belonging
mentoring and leadership development
dissemination and application of knowledge, and
build and sustain vital community partnerships