Commitment to Equity & Inclusion
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU
“At Carthage, we strive to enhance the diversity and equity of our community and, together, to create a more enlightened and inclusive educational environment that positively impacts the world. Because of who you are, where you come from, and the gifts you possess, you belong here.” — Carthage College President John Swallow
You Belong Here
What we’re doing
of Carthage’s incoming students in Fall 2022 self-identified as American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, or multiracial.
We’ll say it as firmly as possible: Carthage rejects all forms of prejudice. But what we stand against is only part of the equation. Here’s a look at just some of the work we’re doing at Carthage to ensure every student feels valued and heard:
- The campus Intercultural Center opened in 2020, both as a welcoming place for all students, faculty, and staff to gather and the hub for a full schedule of programs. In 2022, it was renamed the Engagement and Inclusion Center. Open to all members of the Carthage community, the center serves as a campus hub for inclusion programming and provide a support network for all students, faculty, and staff.
- The ARISE Program guides all first-year students through a two-semester process of personal and relational growth.
- The Wiggan-Kenniebrew Black Alumni Network — named in honor of Lorraine A. Wiggan ’46 and Alonzo H. Kenniebrew ’54, the first male and female students of African-American descent to graduate from Carthage — provides mentor relationships for all students.
- An ever-growing number of faculty and staff have completed Carthage’s SafeZone training and/or Equity & Inclusion Certificate Program, giving students lots of people to turn to for support.
— Dr. Michele Hancock, Vice President of College Culture for Inclusion