Commitment to Inclusivity
Simmons is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual’s community experience. We strive to create and sustain an environment that is free from bias, prejudice, and discrimination to enable members to thrive in the Simmons community. We welcome, promote, and seek to empower multiple dimensions of diversity, and are actively working to dismantle systems, policies, and practices that serve as barriers to true inclusion at Simmons. We are One Simmons!
How Can I Get Involved?
Affinity Organizations
Join a Simmons student affinity organization. Learn more about The Collective, eleven student organizations advised by Simmons’ Multicultural Center.
Resources
At Simmons, we believe clear and open communication between students, faculty, and staff is an integral part of creating an inclusive and cohesive community. We encourage you to review the University's Tips for Email Accessibility.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Events
Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program Lectureship Event
- Feb 27, 2025
- 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
- Linda K. Paresky Conference Center and Virtual
Promote your event
Submit your Simmons-affiliated event related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging to be included in the Simmons event listings.
Recent News
Artist-Scholar Integrates Politics, Poetry, and Race
Assistant Professor of Humanities Patrick Sylvain is a literary scholar and poet whose intellectual curiosity knows no bounds. His work explores the issues of nationhood, leadership, race, and (de)colonization. In conjunction with Black History Month 2025, we spoke with him about Haitian politics, poetry, and zombies.
Two Simmons Faculty Members Receive North Star Fellowships
Samuel Odom from the School of Social Work and Don Simmons from the School of Library and Information Science, have been named fellows by the North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship, which is designed to promote supportive community and racial healing for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) faculty members across New England.
Honoring the National Day of Racial Healing
January 21, 2025 — the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day — is the ninth annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH). Created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NDORH "is an opportunity to engage in collective action to create a more just and equitable world."
Welcome to the Simmons LGBTQIA+ Lounge
In honor of LGBTQIA+ History Month, we welcome the LGBTQIA+ community at Simmons to gather in their new lounge, located in the Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement.
For National Coming Out Day, School of Social Work Dean Michael LaSala Shares His Story
Since 1988, the United States has celebrated National Coming Out Day (NCOD) annually on October 11. To honor NCOD, Dr. Michael LaSala, Dean of Simmons’ School of Social Work, recounts his own coming-out journey.
Associate Professor Saher Selod Historicizes Islamophobia in the United States
Simmons’ Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) hosted “Islamophobia in the United States: Understanding Past and Present Anti-Muslim Discrimination,” a virtual lecture by Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of Research for the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding Saher Selod. This talk chronicled the history of anti-Muslim racism and demonstrated how 9/11 instituted a new era of the racialization of Muslims.
Simmons Hosts Project Shema’s Webinar on Contemporary Antisemitism
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hosted a webinar with Project Shema, entitled “Understanding Antisemitism in the Current Political Climate.” The webinar defined antisemitism, contextualized Jewish identity, and suggested how participants may empathize with the Jewish community.
The Extroverted Archivist: Engaging the Underrepresented in Archives
Bridgett Johnson-Pride '18MAMS was named Director of Public Services for Archives and Special Collections at Harvard University in October, 2023. We caught up with Johnson-Pride about her current role, and how she engages with patrons as an extroverted archivist.
Commitment into Action
Accessibility Services
We are committed to the full participation of all students in our programs and activities and make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations so that students can be ensured equal access.
Multicultural Center
We strive to help students merge the narratives of who they are with their academic and professional commitments. Simmons is committed to building a living and learning environment in which each and every student can thrive intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
Organizational Culture, Inclusion & Equity
We recognize that a robust intellectual community for all requires moving beyond notions of representation and toward authentic engagement, thoughtful participation and inclusive membership.
Spiritual Identity Support
We work to facilitate spiritual development and meet the spiritual needs of students. We coordinate activities to promote development and leadership skills in Simmons students, and we encourage their spiritual development.
Title IX
We recognize the inherent dignity and worth of each member of our community, which includes the right to live, learn and work in an environment free from sex discrimination.