Multicultural Relations Overview

We confront diversity in a multicultural society just by living and working in today’s world. Seeking to fulfill God’s call for mission and justice means communicating the perspectives of our faith community and seeking to understand our neighbor's perspectives. To witness we need an ability to see, understand, and respond across different cultures, patterns of thought, and theological perspectives.

The vision and goals of the Office of Multicultural Relations are to:

• provide direction and leadership for the assessment and improvement of Seminary-wide efforts to create and sustain a more diverse and inclusive community of learners;
• collaborate with other departments and student organizations to recognize and value difference, encourage and support positive interactions among diverse populations, maximize the benefits of a multicultural perspective, and build bridges of reconciliation through dialogue;
• advise the Seminary leadership on the policies, programs, practices, and resources needed to achieve excellence, equity, and effectiveness in the research, teaching and learning, and outreach activities of the Seminary;
• coordinate Seminary-wide efforts in creating sustainable community partnerships that will benefit both the Seminary community and our surrounding neighbors;
• assist Seminary committees, departments, and administrative offices in proactive leadership in reconciling racial/ethnic, cultural and other critical manifestations of diversity.

Multicultural Relations works collaboratively with offices, faculty and students in the development of the Navigating the Waters Initiatives, Courageous Conversations, the L.I.V.E. Symposiums, Diversity Colloquiums, the Forums on Faith, Culture & Diversity, enrollments, orientation, and support of our international students and scholars, Urban Ministry Initiatives and Community Engagement Partnerships, Community Action Network (CAN), Food Justice Fellows. Multicultural Relations addresses diversity issues by promoting campus programs and offering opportunities for multi- and cross-cultural engagement. We facilitate the life and work of the racial-ethnic councils of the faculty, and offer the Seminary community learning opportunities about multicultural and racial-ethnic relations.