Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Progress
Bellarmine aspires to be the school of choice for young men of all backgrounds who will be our future leaders both locally and globally. Our goal is to cultivate a school community where each student can bring his whole, authentic self to the school each day.
DEI Office
Following the completion of the 2017-2018 Summit on Human Dignity: Understanding Race in the 21st Century, current DEI Director Carlos Jimenez ’02 led the effort to change the name of the diversity office to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This change reflects a deeper commitment from the school to move from acknowledging and celebrating differences towards an institutional approach that examines the importance of representation, access and value in creating a more just community at Bellarmine.
In the 2021-2022 academic year, Bellarmine expanded the DEI office staffing to include a second staff member, a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Assistant. This position’s overall focus is to promote school-wide discussion about and implementation of inclusive curricular programs, and serve as a resource for faculty with respect to curriculum design and student support.
Equity and Inclusion Committee
To further the work of the DEI office, the Equity and Inclusion Committee was formed in 2018, consisting of 15 faculty and staff members. The work of the EIC committee is two-fold: 1) Developing a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan to help guide the institutional efforts to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive school community; and 2) Leading faculty and staff in professional development on racial and social justice.
In 2018, the EIC led the implementation of the National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) AIM survey, an Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism. Students, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, and Board members responded to the survey. The results will inform long-term DEI planning and strategy, and will establish a baseline against which future efforts can be measured.
DEI Progress Report
Annual Cultural Events
The Bellarmine Mothers’ Guild, in partnership with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, plans and hosts the following annual events to celebrate the diversity of our community. For more information please contact Carlos Jimenez ’02 at cjimenez@bcp.org.
- Día de Muertos
- Festival Diwali
- Festival of Lights
- Las Posadas
- Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass
- Santo Niño Mass
- Black Student Union Cultural Celebration
- Lunar New Year
Faculty Diversity Initiatives
In the 2020-2021 academic year, Bellarmine celebrated the launch of a teaching Fellowship for young educators of color to start their teaching career at Bellarmine.
The Pinkston Fellowship, named after influential justice advocate and now retired faculty member Steve Pinkston, honors his 40-year career at Bellarmine by preserving his legacy of educational opportunity and institutionalizing the promotion of faculty diversity. For more information on this Fellowship and the corresponding Endowment effort, please visit: https://www.bcp.org/giving/signature-fundraisers/stevep
Questions?
Contact Carlos Jimenez '02, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, at cjimenez@bcp.org.