Racial Equity and Justice Institute/ Leading for Change Consortium
The Leading for Change Consortium is a collaborative effort to identify student and employee diversity best practices through shared data and institutional benchmarks among participating institutions in New England.
As an institutional partner in the Leading for Change Consortium, Suffolk University has enacted both short- and long-term initiatives to achieve outcomes that will benefit higher education students, employees, and community members in the region.
Initiatives include:
Ram Inclusion Week
This annual series of events provides campus members with opportunities to celebrate the diversity represented across Suffolk and to cultivate a community of inclusion.
First-Generation College Student Celebration
Hosted collaboratively by the Center for Academic Access and Opportunity, the Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion, the Division of Student Success, and other academic and administrative departments on campus, this weeklong series of events celebrates the students, faculty, and staff in our community who are the first in their families to go to college. It has been held annually in early November since 2017 to align with National First-Generation Celebration Day (November 8).
Learn more about services for first-gen students, past Celebration Week events, and our upcoming First-Generation College Student Celebration.
Equity in the Curriculum Series and Resources
All students and faculty members benefit from an equitable approach to curriculum design, not just students and instructors of color. Suffolk continuously updates curricula by creating a repository of diversity and inclusion teaching materials and curriculum enhancements found on LinkedIn Learning that contains submissions from Suffolk faculty.
Throughout the year, workshops are delivered by instructors on best practices as the toolkit is updated with new resources over time. Log in to LinkedIn Learning and learn more about the Equity in the Curriculum Series.
Ambassadors for Inclusion Professional Learning Community
The Ambassador for Inclusion program was developed by the Professional Learning Committee within the Racial Equity & Justice Campus Team. The program is designed to be flexible and convenient, and to ensure that the experience will meet participants’ personal needs, goals, and interests by offering a variety of ways to engage in—and reflect upon—activities and experiences related to diversity and inclusion. Activities include reading articles or books, listening to podcasts, watching videos, visiting a virtual museum exhibit, or completing interactive learning modules.
Faculty and staff members who are interested in expanding their knowledge of, and signaling their support for, diversity and inclusion, are invited to participate. Learn more about the program objectives and how to get involved.
Truth Racial Healing and Transformation Initiative
Suffolk’s TRHT Initiative mission is to encourage an inclusive community that appreciates individual differences and cultural experiences. Through our initiative we will work to recognize, break, and transform racial hierarchical barriers through circle practices and narrative/ storytelling and other knowledge-building and interactive opportunities. Our ultimate goal is to create an inclusive community for students, faculty, staff, and other community builders. We believe community—across borders and boundaries—is enriched by people of different backgrounds and cultures, and we are committed to building a culture of cooperation among diverse groups.
The purpose of the Initiative remains to recognize, break, and transform racial hierarchical barriers through circle practices and narrative/ story telling with a goal of creating an inclusive community for students, faculty, staff, and other community builders.
Race on Campus
The Race on Campus Faculty Professional Learning Community (FPLC) is a cross-disciplinary group of faculty, staff, and administrators who meet throughout the academic year to share their experiences and learn from one another.
The Race on Campus group explores strategies and tools that can be used by faculty and staff to effectively engage Suffolk students in courageous discussions about race and the development of an anti-racist framework. Learn more about the Race on Campus FPLC or get involved.
Student Focus Groups & Data Sharing
In addition to reviewing and assessing student quantitative data, focus groups will be conducted to get a fuller picture of the student experience. Listening to and acting on the voices of students of color attending Suffolk will help us offer appropriate interventions and support based on student insights.
This student-led initiative provides leadership and community involvement opportunities for our students in the interpretation and presentation of findings.
Take Advantage Campaign
This new program and social media campaign are aimed at bringing attention to the resources available to Suffolk students—particularly our students of color—who may be at risk for non-persistence—either for retention or graduation. The program also actively utilizes the strengths of current students of color to support their fellow learners.
Campus Team Members
Jennifer Blakely
Sawyer Library
Greg Beaver
Sawyer Business School
Gary Fireman
Provost's Office
Office of Institutional Research & Assessment
Cherina Wright
Law School
Bea Patiño
Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion
Cameron Breither
Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion
Alina Choo
Division of Student Success
Maya Ott
Center for Teaching & Scholarly Excellence
Natasha Torkelson
Counseling, Health & Wellness
Nancy Galindo-Rodriguez
Division of Advancement
Dave Merry
Center for Career Equity, Development & Success
Heather Stern
College of Arts & Sciences
Joyya Smith
Diversity, Access, and Inclusion