Raising Higher: Celebrating Diversity, Striving Toward Equity, & Creating an Inclusive GW

The Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement hosts an online module for all first year and transfer students in the fall and spring semesters. The module, Raising Higher: Celebrating Diversity, Striving Toward Equity & Creating an Inclusive GW, is a highly engaging, reflective, and interactive educational learning experience for incoming students. 

The learning goals for the module are:

1. To build a foundation of understanding with terms and concepts related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2. To explore your individual identity
3. To explore aspects of your individual power and privilege through self-reflection
4. To provide an opportunity to understand others - their identities, perspectives, and beliefs - in order to share space together as a community of differences
5. To raise awareness of systems, biases, and microaggressions
6. To provide strategies to use your agency towards creating greater inclusion

The module covers topics such as:

• GW Community & Values
• Language and Definitions
• Identity
• Cycle of Socialization
• Bias & Microaggressions
• Hurt, Harm, and Trauma
• Power, Privilege, and Oppression
• Creating an Inclusive Community
• Showing Up With & For Other Communities
• Taking Action & Building Together

The module encourages students to be open, honest, and curious about themselves and others throughout. There are videos, scenarios, and interactive prompts embedded into each section of the module, and students respond and react accordingly. In addition, there are check in points during the module that ask students to reflect, share their learning, and offer thoughts about what they are learning in connection to their own lived experiences. The module seamlessly invites students to share their perspective, learning, reflections, and understanding of concepts, other people, and more. Finally, the module welcomes feedback, final reflections, and questions at the end. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I access the course?

All first-year and transfer students will receive an email to their GW email address inviting them to complete Raising Higher: Celebrating Diversity, Striving Toward Equity & Creating an Inclusive GW online educational course. The course will be housed on Blackboard.

Why am I being asked to complete this course?

Completion of this online course is only the beginning of your educational learning opportunities at GW where we are intentional and committed to cultivating the healthiest, safest and most inclusive campus climate.

Who will see my responses to questions in this course?

Students’ answers to questions in the course will not be shared with GW and all student assessment and survey responses are anonymous.

I missed the deadline, what do I do?

Please complete the online course as soon as possible, to avoid a transcript hold on your student account.

I am having technical difficulties with the online course, where can I find assistance?

Please email [email protected].

What if I have additional questions?

If you have questions or concerns regarding the online course, please email the Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement at [email protected].