Diversity and inclusion remain an important priority for GW and the Elliott School. As the University has taken important steps to create a more inclusive community, the Elliott School has also taken crucial actions towards this goal.
The United States of America is projected to be a “majority-minority” country by the year 2050 or sooner. Diversity and social mobility are among our country’s greatest assets in engaging the rest of the world. It is imperative, therefore, that international affairs institutions of the United States reflect the diversity of America. The Elliott School of International Affairs is committed to reflecting this diversity.
We believe this diversity enriches the educational experience for students and faculty alike. We are committed to ensuring that every student, faculty, and staff member has a chance to reach their full professional potential, do great work, and be a fully enfranchised member of the Elliott School community.
We seek not only to reflect American society, but also to serve as a model for proactively engaging with difference, with respect, dignity, openness, and acceptance, recognizing that diversity reflects the society in which we live and can be its greatest strength.
Fostering a welcoming and inclusive community is a core value of the Elliott School. To this end, we are committed to attracting and supporting students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and experiences, for example, based on race, gender, socio-economic status, age, sexual orientation and identity, religion, nationality, culture, ideas (including political perspectives), and methods.
We are especially committed to increasing the representation and inclusion of those who have been historically excluded from participating in higher education, and in the US international affairs community in particular. The inclusion of these underrepresented groups is necessary: 1) to ensure the US international affairs community remains connected to the American public it serves, 2) to ensure that we are best positioned to understand and resolve the most pressing challenges facing the interconnected world today, and 3) to facilitate a new generation of leaders within the discipline of international affairs who understand the importance of equity, respect, inclusion, and civil discourse among diverse parties.
