Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Statement

The Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We believe that diverse perspectives and experiences from individuals are vital to innovation, improved performance, and success as a group. We aim to create a community where our students, staff, faculty, and visitors feel safe, accepted, and included.

We'll strive to fulfill our mission by:

• Seeking and highlighting grant and scholarship opportunities available to students with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The goal is to actively recruit students, staff, and faculty from underrepresented backgrounds to create equality in the Department.
• Supporting the training and other DEIB-related functions of the College and University.
• Increasing awareness about DEIB topics by hosting relevant seminar speakers. These topics will include, but are not limited to, social equity, social colorblindness, implicit biases, and gender gap.
• Increased dissemination of news regarding DEIB-related achievements in departmental newsletters and social media posts.
• Hosting department events (e.g., bakeoff, winter holiday party, book club) to bring individuals from diverse backgrounds together for sharing of ideas, encouraging collaboration between individuals with different cultures, and promoting a sense of belonging.
• Promoting the use of holistic criteria and standards on admissions and hiring committees.
• Facilitating inclusion of diversity-related topics into courses.

DEIB Committee

The committee comprises a diverse group of individuals from different backgrounds and academic levels who have diverse perspectives and values. We divided the committee into subcommittees to tackle each of these areas in a more efficient manner. We continue to learn and grow and welcome new ideas to promote an inclusive and supportive community within the department. We welcome suggestions or comments. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

• Adrian Barragan (Committee chair)
• Parisa Kalantari
• Phuong Schmitt
• Xiaoling Chen
• Michele Yon
• Margaret Weber

Additional DEIB Resources

• Penn State statement on diversity, equity and inclusion
• College of Agricultural Sciences Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Information
• Rainbow Ag Network
• Latinx Agricultural Network