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Fostering a Diverse and Inclusive Community
Newberry College is dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environment such that all who study, work, and visit our campus feel a sense of belonging. We pledge to nurture the holistic development of our students, faculty, and staff in their pursuit of lives of meaning and purpose. Such an environment requires engagement with people from diverse backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. We acknowledge that, like many other institutions of higher education, we have historically enacted policies and practices that have excluded populations of people. We commit to learning from our past as we forge a new path, building upon the foundational tenets of the Lutheran liberal arts tradition, which inspires us to be “called and empowered, to serve the neighbor, so that all may flourish.”
Diversity refers to the various backgrounds, lived experiences, values, and worldviews of individuals and communities that stem from differences in culture and circumstance. This includes race, ethnicity, gender and gender expression, age, religion, language, (dis)ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more.
Equity is the active process of identifying and reducing or eliminating the structural barriers related to race, class, disability, gender, and other identities that limit access to, or prevent full participation in, our institutions and communal life. It requires understanding the root cause(s) of disparities, identifying the barriers, and redressing the exclusion of historically underrepresented groups within our society.
Inclusion is the intentional act to involve people from diverse backgrounds and identities and create environments where any individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued, and given the opportunity to fully participate.
Belonging is the extent to which people within a shared community know and feel that they are valued, respected, included, and celebrated for their individual and unique contributions and identities.
Message from the Vice President
Greetings from the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging!
I am excited and honored to serve in this inaugural role at Newberry College. I began my tenue on May 22, 2023, and it didn’t take long before I felt like I was part of the Wolves community due in large part to the warm welcome that was extended to me during my transition to the College. From as early as my interview, I have been impressed with the caliber of students, faculty, and staff. I am excited about the many partnerships that I have developed, and will continue to develop, to make Newberry an even more diverse, equitable and inclusive institution where everyone who studies, works and visits feels like they belong. During my first year, those partnerships have afforded me the opportunity to develop and implement several new initiatives.
I am excited about the future of Newberry College and all that will be accomplished through these continued partnerships. If I can be of any support to you in your efforts, please reach out to me at Altheia.Richardson@newberry.edu.
Go Wolves!
Altheia L. Richardson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
Chief Diversity Officer
Meet Our Staff
Altheia L. Richardson
Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging | Chief Diversity Officer
Deidra Clark
Administrative Assistant for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Helen Johnson
Work-Study Student
Visit Our Office
Holland Hall | Second Floor
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
