Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) is committed to building culturally thriving and sustainable communities that nurture individual and collective well-being and affirm justice in the world. We aspire to do this by committing to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in everything we do. This means building and supporting an intellectual community that welcomes every individual, inclusive of culture, religious beliefs, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, ability, age, or socioeconomic status. We strive to promote an environment that fosters a deep sense of belonging, in part by welcoming ideas and beliefs from a wide variety of perspectives. And as the School of learning, leadership, and policy, we value dialogue, respect, and fairness in all our interactions.
At SESP we:
Prepare students to study and create social change towards just futures.
A key aspect of our work involves understanding and challenging the ideological roots and ongoing practices of unjust systems and our participation in these systems.
Develop systems that equitably distribute, recognize, and reward the work it takes to realize these commitments.
This includes examining racism, colonialism, classism, patriarchy, transphobia, ableism, heteronormativity, and other structures, and creating spaces to help people heal and transform.
Invest in people and programs, partnerships, and initiatives that bring forward the transformative power of diverse perspectives in our scholarship, practice, and service.
In SESP, we embrace multiple ways of knowing and being to enrich our collective endeavors and build knowledge.
Design intentional curricula, scholarship, and community engagement towards these ends.
Through research, teaching, partnerships, and one-on-one interactions, we are responsible for creating a culture that respects and reflects the full personhood, identities, and personal experience of each community member.
Explore DEIJ at SESP
Programs and Coursework
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice is central to our coursework, student experience, research, and community partnerships.
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Faculty Research and Initiatives
SESP's research, teaching, and service mission leads to groundbreaking discoveries that affect policy, address inequities, and create positive change.
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Student and Alumni Work
SESP prepares students to lead and create change through our pathbreaking youth-serving, undergraduate, and graduate programs.
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Community Events
Events like our brown bag series and the SESP Equity Book Club create spaces for lectures, learning, and conversation.
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Northwestern is committed to embracing diversity and promoting inclusion. The University's Campus Resource Guide features the offices and units dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus. The University's diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice professional development offerings help participants enact change towards fostering inclusive environments.