Northwestern's Commitment to Diversity

March 15, 2012

Dwight A. McBride, Dean of The Graduate School and Associate Provist for Graduate Education

Dean McBride kicked off AHEAD@NU’s spring quarter series with a dynamic presentation outlining the importance of diversity at both the national and institutional level and what The Graduate School is doing to support this initiative.

Dean McBride spoke of the current demographic trends in our nation. In 2011, non-Asian’s represented over 1/3 of our population and women over 1/2. Unfortunately these trends do not follow faculty trends and Northwestern is especially underrepresented in the STEM disciplines (science, technological, engineering, and math.) By 2023 over half of US children will be underrepresented minorities, by 2042 the minority will be equal to the majority, and in 2050 1 in 3 people will be Hispanic. Dean McBride’s interest lies in how to create this diversity locally in order to train the next generation of Americans to be successful in this changing society. He feels it is his job to create a welcoming place for all individuals by giving them an environment in which to thrive.

The recently released strategic plan identified diversity as a top institutional initiative. At The Graduate School, diversity is one of the three pillars of their own strategic plan and they are very committed to making an impact in this area. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has helped to push this diversity initiative (especially in the life sciences) through their funding guidelines.

Dean McBride outlined several initiatives underway to broaden the recruitment portfolio:

1. Building partnerships with minority serving institutions through fall visits and hosting luncheons with opportunities for students to meet with faculty, tour the facilities, and talk with current students.
2. Providing guidance during the admission and review process so that students’ potential is analyzed versus solely their proven ability.
3. Growing the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) that has proven to attract a high percentage of diverse students.
4. Building a better sense of community for diverse students.

Overall, Dean McBride stressed that it is up to each of us to hold each other responsible for these ideals and encourages sharing of best practices throughout the University.

Summary written by Cathy Barrera

--

Diversity 'N U: Services for a Diverse Student Body