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Equity, Inclusion and Diversity

Your diverse perspectives, life experiences, cultural backgrounds and social identities fuel our shared value of inclusive excellence within the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS).

Equity, diversity and inclusion are reflected in our coursework and through our commitment to social justice and community engagement. We encourage students to demonstrate their commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion by engaging in behaviors that support a welcoming and affirming environment for all students. Whether diversity is based on perspectives, life experiences, cultural backgrounds, social identities and other unique expressions, it makes for a better place to learn. Equity is also expressed in our commitment to and mutually respectful engagement with our local community that has historically faced social inequities in education, health, employment and housing through engaging in experiential learning and volunteering.

We encourage you to use VCU and CHS resources, such as wellness activities, advising, training and participation in special events. These resources incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion. We also encourage you to engage in activities and with organizations that support your unique culture and social identity. We hope you take advantage of all of the opportunities available to support you in your personal and academic success.

Please share with us your thoughts and your experiences with regard to equity, diversity and inclusion by sending an email to Faye Belgrave, Ph.D., associate dean for equity and community partnerships, at fzbelgra@vcu.edu.

Get Involved

v.c.u. students walking outside cabell library

As a student at VCU, there are multitudes of opportunities to engage with other people—people with similar interests, people who are completely different, people you’d never meet otherwise.

They’ll make your college experience meaningful and help you be a part of something bigger than yourself.

Explore opportunities

Key Concepts

We invite you to join us in showing your commitment by practicing these values.

Dillon Hensley and Michael Williams

Nana Schiaa and Michella Donfack

tiffany ngo

Other EID Concepts

BIPOC
Refers to Black, Indigenous and people of color
Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Justice (EIDJ)
The inclusion of justice in EID
Minoritized
A term that means to be devalued in society and given less access to its resources. This devaluing encompasses how the group is represented, what degree of access to resources it is granted and how the unequal access is rationalized. Traditionally, a group in this position has been referred to as the minority group. However, this language has been replaced with the term minoritized to capture the active dynamics that create the lower status in society and also to signal that a group's status is not necessarily related to how many or few of them there are in the population at large (see the New Discourses Microaggressions page)
Underrepresented Minority (URM)
A U.S. citizen who identifies as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian. All other Race/Ethnicity categories or Non-U.S. citizens are considered Non-Underrepresented Minorities (Non-URM).

Get Support

If you ever need support in matters of equity and inclusion, CHS and VCU offer an abundance of institutional resources, such as:

Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Highlights

Cecelia Valrie, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, received the Award for Interdisciplinary Collaboration from the NIH’s HEAL Initiative. (Contributed photo)

Feb. 20, 2024

VCU psychology professor wins NIH award for research into pediatric pain management

Cecelia Valrie’s latest interdisciplinary work aims to help young patients with sickle cell disease.

Michael Dickinson, Ph.D., a professor in VCU’s Department of History, will discuss his book, “Almost Dead: Slavery and Social Rebirth in the Black Urban Atlantic, 1680-1807,” on Feb. 24 at St. John’s Church. (Contributed photo)

Feb. 19, 2024

In Feb. 24 address, VCU history professor will highlight early America’s urban slavery in human terms

Drawing from narratives of the enslaved and his book ‘Almost Dead,’ Michael Dickinson will discuss resistance, survival and modern legacies.

Stephen Gibson, a Ph.D. candidate in the developmental psychology program at VCU, researches the long-term effects of online racism on the mental health of Black teens. (Contributed photo)

Feb. 15, 2024

In mind, body and digital souls, VCU doctoral student examines racism through the lenses of adolescence and parenting

Developmental psychology researcher Stephen Gibson explores the intersection of teen mental health, online experiences and parent-child communication.

Equity and inclusion: our core values

Within the College of Humanities and Sciences, inclusion and diverse representation are vital for the continued forward progression of the university. I see these values exemplified through the mentorship I receive from BIPOC faculty with identities salient to my own, diverse representation of students within my program, as well as through the growing recognition of and increasing value placed on community engaged work within my department.

Bianca 
Owens
Health Psychology Doctoral Student