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Students sitting on steps on the GW yard Engineering Inclusive Excellence
Engineering Inclusive Excellence

Engineering Inclusive Excellence

 

GW Engineering aspires to be a community in which all members have a strong sense of belonging and an equitable opportunity to thrive. We further aspire to be a leading organization promoting inclusive excellence throughout the fields of engineering and computing science. 

The Inclusive Excellence initiative at GW Engineering is therefore dedicated to:

  • Providing academic and professional equity within inclusive and welcoming environments.
  • Empowering students, staff, and faculty with the skills, knowledge, and framework to actively contribute to inclusive excellence.
  • Cultivating a supportive climate that fosters success and sense of belonging for all students, staff, and faculty.
  • Designing learning opportunities that recognize and leverage differences as assets in problem solving.
  • Engaging in deliberate, timely, and meaningful research, discussions, pedagogy, and scholarship that advances engineering and computing science through the lenses of equity and inclusion.
  • Promoting inclusive excellence throughout the fields of engineering and computer science.

 

Our commitment to inclusive excellence is based on the belief that every individual’s background, perspective, and life experience bring inherent value to our community and that the expression of that individuality contributes to our school’s pursuit of excellence. This is especially true in engineering and computing, as diversity of thought and viewpoint is critical to innovation and to solving society’s most challenging problems.

We must therefore actively foster a culture of inclusion and respect in our school, ensuring that each member has a strong sense of belonging, firm knowledge of their value to our community, and an equitable opportunity to thrive, engage, express themself, and achieve their full potential as their most authentic self.

This culture is the bedrock of our efforts to foster and sustain leadership, innovation, vital community partnerships, economic growth, and competitiveness in an increasingly interconnected world. We further recognize that this commitment requires continuous organizational and personal growth fueled by learning and reflexivity and that our responsibility extends beyond GW Engineering to GW and the entire field of engineering and computing.

 

Our Inclusive Excellence journey began with two distinct initiatives: Inclusive Excellence, which examined the intersections among students, staff, and faculty; and Culture & Engagement, which focused exclusively on staff and faculty experiences. As the assessment and action planning processes unfolded, the synergies between these efforts became clear. We saw overlapping themes, shared challenges, and complementary goals. This convergence allowed us to build a more unified framework—one that honors the distinct needs of each group while reinforcing a collective commitment to belonging, transparency, and growth.
 

Inclusive Excellence Action Plan Focus Areas

SEAS Together

Training and Development

Communication

Staffing

Culture and Engagement Action Plan Focus Areas

Recognition

Development

Communication, Management, Mission

Resources and Materials

The convergence of our Inclusive Excellence and Culture & Engagement action plans surfaced three strategic focus areas: Engagement, Recognition, and Professional Development. Together, these areas form the backbone of our school-wide efforts to foster a culture where every member—staff, faculty, and students—feels seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. The following section outlines the tangible initiatives, systems, and practices we’ve built to bring these commitments to life—offering a framework that is both replicable and responsive to the evolving needs of our community.

Key Partners and Collaborators

Inclusive Excellence is not the work of one office or one leader—it’s a shared responsibility that requires coordination, trust, and a willingness to iterate. This section acknowledges the cross-functional partners whose leadership and collaboration have helped shape and sustain our efforts. Their contributions reflect the kind of distributed leadership that makes institutional change possible.

 

In GW Engineering, adopts the GW Statement on Diversity and Inclusion. Inclusion is the active process we commit to every day that encourages, supports, and creates a community wherein all people feel they belong, deserve to be a part, and have equal access to the university’s opportunities and resources.

 

Action Plan Priorities

Students demonstrating a project

Engagement

  • Chair the SEAS Together Council that plans and hosts events for all SEAS students, staff, and faculty throughout the year
  • Facilitate ad hoc staff and faculty committees (e.g. recognition, onboarding, professional development, etc.) to tackle pressing community challenges
  • Plan and execute faculty and staff in-person and virtual engagement events like Taste of Foggy Bottom, All Hands Meetings, Ugly Sweater Breakfast, etc.
  • Promote and increase SEAS staff and faculty engagement at HRMD events
  • Manage the GW Engineering Coffee Chats program

 

Recognition

  • Highlight the expertise of our faculty and staff through team spotlights at All Hands Meetings, external newsletter spotlights, community kudos and spotlights in our internal newsletter
  • Develop manager resources and support for personalized recognition (e.g. centralized capture of recognition profiles, manager birthday and career milestone reminders, birthday e-cards, card library, etc.)
  • Facilitate the GW Engineering New Hire program for staff and faculty (e.g. welcome kits, new hire ambassadors, new hire luncheon and gatherings, MyGW onboarding resources, etc.)
Doctoral celebration

 

Student taking a picture behind a FAMILIA sign

Professional Development

  • Provide reminders for employees to have regular development discussions with their managers, HRMD, career services, and mentors throughout the year
  • Promote the importance of professional development goals and develop resources to help identify them
  • Facilitate development days for our administrative and operations staff. Serve on the Professional Development and Recognition Staff Council Committee and cohost the university’s staff development day.
  • Manage a professional development policy, fund, and committee to manage the review and allocation of those funds

 

Land and Labor Acknowledgement Resources

We acknowledge that we reside on the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Piscataway, Anacostan, and Nacotchtank Peoples who served as stewards of the region for generations, and inhabit a place where Black people were enslaved, forced to work for free, and abused. It is critical that we name and understand the painful history of enslavement, genocide, and forced removal from the region, and honor and respect the diverse people still connected to and responsible for creating, building, and nurturing this land. 
 
 

Resources to Help You Succeed

Academic & Career Resources

There are a number of academic and career resources available to all students. We recommend that you use these resources to help you make the most of your college experience.

There are a variety of support and engagement resources to help you succeed. Below is a list of some of the resources available to our students:

Student Support and Engagement Resources

GW provides students with a variety of support and engagement resources to help you succeed. Below is a list of some of the resources available to GW students:

Scholarship & Fellowship Opportunities

Whether you are a prospective applying to GW or current student who is looking for financial support there are a variety of resources to help you

Name Change Resources

To ensure all members of our community feel welcome, GW has two approaches to the name change policy which includes (1) GWeb (Class Rosters and Blackboards), GWorld, and GWmail; and (2) transcripts, graduation papers, and other official documents. These processes are outlined below:

Changes to GWeb, GWorld, and GWMail

  • Log onto GWeb -> CLICK “Student Record and Registration” -> CLICK “Student Records Information Menu” ->  CLICK “View/Update Preferred First Name” -> Add your preferred name and save it.
  • Contact the GWorld Office  and be sure to have your old GWorld available. Tell them you’d like to update your GWorld to match your preferred name (for FREE). They will review with you the process from there.
  • After the update has been made in GWeb, you can email GWIT via ithelpatgwu [dot] edu and request your email account be updated to match your preferred name.

Transcripts, Diploma, and Employment Records

In order to change your name on your transcripts, diploma, or employment records, you must legally change your name. After a legal name change is documented, your name can be changed on all official documents. If you are an alumnus, you can also request an updated diploma with your current legal name. For both, you will need to fill out the Request For Name Update form. After the form is complete, contact the Office of the Registrar and a university official will review with you the rest of the process.

 

Reporting a Bias Incident

Report any potential bias incidences to our Bias Incident Response Team to help ensure a safe and supportive community for all.

HOW TO REPORT A BIAS RELATED INCIDENT

 

This program/center is open to all students/members of the GW community. Participation is not limited based on any individual’s personal identity, characteristics, or viewpoint, including but not limited to: race, color, national origin, shared ancestry, religion, political affiliation, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.


 

 

  

 

Additional Resources

 

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800 22nd Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
Phone: 202-994-6080

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