"There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." Revelation 7:9
Diversity Statement
Eastern University recognizes that diversity and inclusiveness are essential in establishing a prosperous and productive campus community. Having a diverse faculty and staff community creates energy and insight while also establishing cultural awareness and shared differences among our community as we seek to follow our mission of Faith, Reason, and Justice.
Therefore, having a diverse campus is a primary initiative at Eastern. All members of our community are encouraged and empowered to achieve their personal, educational, and career goals while learning about different cultures.
Our Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Executive Team works to implement the mission and goals of diversity, equity, and belonging at Eastern University. Our mission responds to the needs of our students and the entire Eastern community, with a particular focus on supporting underrepresented populations.
“My time at Eastern was exciting to say the least! Being an international student from Ghana, West Africa, without my immediate family in the same geographical location, I was blessed with whole, supportive, and deep friendships (with both professors and students) which kept me going and also deepened my understanding of what it means to be a true friend like Christ is to us.”
Diversity, Equity, & Belonging Team Mission
The mission of the Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Team is to give form and substance to relevant strategies to advance diversity and inclusion at Eastern University, thereby reflecting God’s witness in Jesus Christ and the biblical mandates to love others, offer hospitality, pursue justice, and live as agents of reconciliation.
“The thing I appreciated the most about Eastern was the way the professors lived and taught around the University pillars of faith, reason, and justice. I also appreciated the diversity of the Eastern student body and teaching staff. I met a lot of great people with a lot of interesting things to say—each one teaching me to see the world a little differently.”
Diversity, Equity, & Belonging Imperatives
- Eastern University’s identity as a Christian university is manifested most effectively through a vibrant, diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and leaders. (Revelation 7:9 )
- Institutions that do not commit to comprehensive diversity engagement — cultural, curricular, pedagogical, social, spiritual, structural, symbolic, workforce, etc. — will fail to adequately prepare students with the capacities required to thrive in the twenty-first century. (Association of American Colleges and Universities, “Board Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Excellence, 2013 )
- Across universities, the gap between the diversity of a faculty and its students has been shown to impact student retention.
- Shifting demographics continue to increase racial and ethnic diversity in our state, region, and the United States.
