The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI)

The mission of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) is to provide visible leadership and direction for the College’s efforts on behalf of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, to promote diversity awareness and understanding within the larger campus community, to foster community and advocate for changes so that students and employees feel they belong, be a resource to students, faculty and staff in their efforts on behalf of diversity and inclusion, and advocate on behalf of minoritized communities.

Learn More About Campus DEI Efforts Bias Incident Reporting

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s Strategic Focus:

Community: Support the Community

Richard Smith, associate professor of Sociology and Class of 2000 McDaniel alumnus

Curriculum: Strengthen the Curriculum

McDaniel College mascot at Homecoming 2018

Culture: Lead the Culture

City/County: Influence the City/County

Dr. Richard Smith and Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu at McDaniel Convocation 2-16-22

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ODEI PROGRAMS Programs/Events

The ODEI seeks to support students, staff and faculty in achieving a more diverse, equitable and inclusive McDaniel. The Office hosts various events, workshops and groups to foster community, facilitate discussions, and raise awareness. The ODEI works with different student organizations to support and plan different cultural or religious events on campus. For faculty and staff, in addition to the many trainings and workshops, the ODEI facilitates a semester long book club.

Every semester, the ODEI also runs a speaker series. The ODEI Cultural Speaker Series hopes to honor and celebrate the different history and heritage months throughout the year.

Learn more about ODEI programming

SUPPORTING BALTIMORE CITY The EDGE Program

The Edge Experience was established during the summer of 2016 by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Division of Student Affairs in order to assist students with their acclimation to McDaniel College. Students from Baltimore City Public Schools were invited to campus for a one-day immersion experience about life on campus, living in residence halls, navigating finances, and successfully balancing academic and social responsibilities. Though the program has evolved since its beginning, it remains a keystone experience to help underrepresented students acclimate to campus.

Learn more about the EDGE Experience

McDaniel College entrance sign in Spring.

LGBTQ+ Support Chosen Name Policy & All-Gender Restrooms Inclusive Excellence

McDaniel College recognizes how important it is to have the ability to be addressed by the name that an individual prefers. Accordingly, procedures for preferred name policy are set and are intended to provide guidance to help individuals navigate college systems and make adjustments where needed. Though some offices must utilize a students legal name (Financial Aid, for example), every effort is made to respect our student's chosen name.

Additionally, McDaniel College provides more than a dozen all-gender restrooms across campus. We believe that the removal of gender designation from restrooms is a meaningful step forward in our commitment to inclusive excellence.

Connect with us!

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Contact Information

odei@mcdaniel.edu

Phone: 410-857-2459