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.
- Office for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement (ODECE), Inclusive Excellence leaders at other GW schools, and the GW Collaborative for Inclusive Excellence
- SEAS Executive Committee
- SEAS Administrative Leadership Team
- SEAS Together Council
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
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.)
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
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.
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