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Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion

Embracing Diversity and Fostering Inclusion Across Northwestern

About Our Work

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Our Commitment

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability

As the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI), our core objective is to ensure each member of our community feels not just included, but truly integral to our institutional fabric. Our office is committed to fostering a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. 

In line with our commitment, we have adopted a comprehensive approach that centralizes Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability (IDEA) as foundational pillars. This commitment is manifested through several concrete initiatives that you can witness in your day-to-day interactions at Northwestern.

READ our Commitment

Who We Are

arch on campus

Mission

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion leads initiatives and guides policy at the enterprise-level to create an increasingly inclusive, diverse, equitable, and welcoming environment for all Northwestern community members – including students, faculty, and staff.

Learn more about us

OIDI speakers at an event

Initiatives

We seek to develop diverse leaders and promote inclusion and equity at Northwestern University through strategic innovation.

Learn more about our initiatives

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Our Team

Meet the staff from the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.

Meet our team

Find the Support You Need

We support and coordinate diversity and inclusion efforts across Northwestern.

  • Across Campus Support
    Find support, diversity and inclusion resources, and more within our filterable database.
  • Academic Programs and Centers
    Northwestern provides a variety of programs and centers for students that fuels powerful collaborations, across diverse fields of study.
  • Events
    Stay up to date with the latest events at Northwestern.
  • Mediation, Conflict Resolution, and Restorative Practices (MCR) Initiative
    Through the MCR Initiative, we aim to offer constructive, empathetic, and evidence-based methods for resolving conflicts that affect inclusion, belonging, and well-being without formal complaints or policy violations.
  • Heritage Months and Cultural Recognitions
    Northwestern is proud to honor our diverse community by commemorating national heritage months, days, and cultural acknowledgements throughout the year. 
  • Women’s Center
    The Women’s Center supports all women, trans, non-binary and gender-expansive students, faculty, and staff.
  • Report an incident
    Report sexual misconduct, discrimination, or harassment with the Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance site.
  • Contact Us
    Meet our team and send us suggestions and feedback. Also submit news, events, or resources to share.
  • News & Events
    Get the latest DEI news and stay up-to-date with university events.

News and Announcements

Find a variety of recent news, announcements, and more related to diversity and inclusion at Northwestern.

Three illustrated hands in yellow, red, and pink hold colorful geometric pieces of a circular puzzle. The circle is divided into vibrant sections in red, yellow, blue, purple, and pink, some with speckled textures. The hands appear to be assembling or adjusting the pieces on a light background.

October 7th Community Support

September 24, 2024

In recognition that many in our community will be navigating deep and complex emotions and experiences on the anniversary of October 7th, 2023, Northwestern's Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion will offer a wide range of support.

Headshot photos of Avril Liu and Jennifer Mok

APIDA Heritage Month 2024

May 3, 2024

Avril Liu and Jennifer Mok, Co-Chairs of APIDA Staff Affinity Group (ASAG), highlight individuals and the impact of APIDA heritage in American history.

A photo of Njoki Kamau (left) and Sarah Brown (right) standing outside in front of a sign that says "Women's Center".

Women's History Month 2024

March 1, 2024

Sarah Brown (Director) and Njoki Kamau (Assistant Director) of the Women's Center, dives into the inception of Women's History Month and encourages those who are subject to gender oppression to take time to recognize the light they bring to the spaces they occupy.

A graphic with a black background and the words A  Month of Black History Exploration in the center.

A Month of Black History Exploration

February 6, 2024

In recognition of Black History Month, the OIDI education team has curated a variety of books, podcasts, music, and films that showcase the rich culture and history of Black people. 

UNIDOS Board

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

September 6, 2023

UNIDOS Affinity Group Co-Chairs (Gabriela Hedrick, Michael Marino, and Sonia Calles Mesa) share historical insight, the impact of colonization, and the beauty of LatinX culture and heritage.

Maj Kargbo

Unlocking the Transformative Power of Education

August 1, 2023

Maj Kargbo, the newly hired Director for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability (IDEA) Education and Training, shares how we can collectively unlock the power of education.

Stay Up-To-Date

Education Highlight

A low angle of person with blue jeans and brown  shoes on, walking alone on a wooden path.

Feminist Solidarity in Times of Crisis

June 26, 2024

This course delves into the relationship between mutual aid, gender, and culture, exploring some of the ways that solidarity can move beyond the abstract to become a tangible mechanism of connection and support.

Events

Oct
31
2024

Evanston Open House

12:00 PM Women's Center, 2000 Sheridan Rd.
SAVE THE DATE Evanston Women's Center Open House October 31st  12-4pm 2000 Sheridan Rd Join us for Tarot readings, zombi...
Oct
31
2024

PrEP4Teens, One Year Later: Making It Work and Passing the Torch

12:00 PM 625 N Michigan Ave
PrEP4Teens is an arts and advocacy-focused multimedia social marketing campaign aimed at increasing awareness about PrEP...
Oct
31
2024

Solidari-Tea

5:00 PM 1936 Sheridan Road, 1936 Sheridan Road
Face your Fears (Academia Edition): All of us have at least one thing that we are afraid of. As students, what is your b...
Land Acknowledgement seal

Land Acknowledgement

Northwestern is a community of learners situated within a network of historical and contemporary relationships with Native American tribes, communities, parents, students, and alumni. It is also in close proximity to an urban Native American community in Chicago and near several tribes in the Midwest.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa. It was also a site of trade, travel, gathering and healing for more than a dozen other Native tribes and is still home to over 100,000 tribal members in the state of Illinois.

Read more about Land Acknowledgments at Northwestern.