Priority: Expand Student Access & Support

Recruiting, retaining and graduating a talented and diverse student body are critical to attaining a truly equitable community and to preparing our students to become successful leaders in a diverse, multicultural and global world. To do so, we must provide the best educational opportunities and build a supportive environment that ensures that all students feel welcome, understood and able to express their perspectives, experiences and views in a context of mutual respect.

We will increase our efforts to attract high-achieving undergraduate and graduate student applicants from diverse and historically underrepresented groups, and enhance academic skills and development programs to help secure the long-term success of all Lehigh students. We will strengthen our community’s understanding of diversity and global inclusion through new curriculum and courses.

Goals

  • Attract, recruit, admit and graduate a talented and diverse student body equipped with necessary sociocultural competencies to meet the demands of the 21st century global workforce
  • Increase enrollments of historically underrepresented groups in the undergraduate and graduate student bodies at Lehigh
  • Increase the academic success of diverse and underrepresented students, both undergraduate and graduate
  • Increase cultural awareness and global inclusion in the student body

Select Progress

  • Expanded support for diverse and underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students through new programs, such as those supporting women in STEM and first-generation students
  • Developed and implemented new approaches to recruiting diverse and underrepresented undergraduate students
  • The College of Business implemented a partnership with Xavier University of Louisiana, an historically black college, to enhance access to graduate education for underserved populations

Continue Exploring the 2021-2026 Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Plan