St. Francis College’s DEI Statement
At St. Francis College, welcoming, hospitality, and belonging serve to enrich our community while empowering our students, faculty, and staff to fully embrace the world in both words and deeds. Our Franciscan institution and tradition are dedicated to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion as integral tenets of our mission.
We are committed to fostering a nurturing campus through access and equality for all. Moreover, we are dedicated to infusing our curriculum and co-curriculum with our Franciscan values of learning, integrity, respect, family, faith, safety, justice, and care for creation.
We pledge to actively seek out areas in need of improvement and treat them as opportunities to teach, learn, and grow as we continue becoming an institution free from discrimination and harmful bias. Our Franciscan legacies of peace, lifelong learning, and action ensure that we continually reform ourselves as compassionate advocates for a more just and inclusive society.
Immediate Actions
Key Investments
Multi-Year Plan
Curriculum Integration
St. Francis College is committed to maintaining a diverse, welcoming community where everyone belongs
SFC continues to increase access and equity for historically underserved students, faculty and staff, to improve campus climate for all members of the campus community and to infuse inclusive excellence initiatives into the curriculum and co-curriculum. We commit to redoubling our efforts to be a caring Franciscan community, to be upstanders for safety, security, inclusion, and justice.
Moreover, we commit to unlearning our biases, to end daily expressions of discrimination - big and small, overt and subtle. We commit to lifelong learning and action.
Our Vibrant Community
A Rich Mosaic of Diversity
International Students from 81 Countries
Hispanic Students Enrolled
Women Enrolled
Bro. Gregory Cellini, OSF
Natasha Edwards
Aligned with our Franciscan mission, when a young person graduates from St. Francis College, they should not only have achieved academic milestones, but have seen holistic growth as a human, understanding how to lift up oneself as well as those who have additional barriers in their path. Our students must also be prepared to break down these barriers for anyone who comes after and challenge our leaders who refuse to correct these societal failures.
SFC must be a space for diverse thought exchange where every student, especially our Black and Brown students, knows they are valued and welcome. Without this, our education falls short of its goal, and falls short of our commitment to each and every Terrier.
Lifting Every Voice, we need to sing proudly that although we are a small College, we have the capacity to imagine and most importantly, to create a community where all our brothers and sisters have an opportunity to live a dignified life. All members of the St. Francis College community take seriously the command to “love our neighbor,” and it is not something that we only espouse, it is something we are prepared to enact.
To that end, we aspire to ensure that all members of our community
- Denounce racism, bigotry, harassment and discrimination
- Affirm the dignity of every person
- Celebrate, honor and respect difference
- Challenge the nexus of power and privilege that create barriers to equitable participation at St. Francis College and society more broadly
“We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of human life.”
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Academic Affairs
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Conversations That Matter
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Student Affairs
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Celebrating Faith
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Multicultural Affairs and Student Organizations
Academic Affairs
Programs
- Center for Learning and Leadership
- Accessibility and Accommodations
- Center for Service Learning
- Center for Student Success
- Forum on Migration
- Institute for Peace and Justice Studies
- Post-Prison Program @ SFC
- Military Veteran Student Resources
- Women’s Studies Center
Conversations That Matter
Terrier Talks
A new discussion series that exposes St. Francis College students to seasoned professionals who share stories of their journeys, how they prepared and the importance of mentorship to their professional success. Hosted by the Office of the President.
Healing Circles
A safe space for open conversations among small groups in which participants can openly and candidly express themselves and listen and learn from their peers in a safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment. Hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Student Health Services.
Student Affairs
- Student Activities
- Career Center
- Assessibility and Accommodations
- Residence Life
- Counseling
- Student Health
Celebrating Faith
Mission, Ministry and Interfaith Dialogue
Inspired by the charism of St. Francis of Assisi and flowing from the mission of St. Francis College, the programs offered by the Office of Mission, Ministry and Interfaith Dialogue are aimed at the development of the whole person.
We seek to provide an atmosphere of genuine friendship and support, and we strive to promote a strong and inclusive community through social responsibility, mutual respect, service, justice and spiritual growth. Working in collaboration with other departments, the office focuses particularly on the spiritual development of students and of the college community.
Multicultural Affairs and Student Organizations
- African Student Association: Nurtures a connection and sense of community among the student population.
- Albanian Roots: Serves as an outlet and exchange for international students of Albanian origin.
- Asian Society: Dedicated to helping students learn about and share Asian culture and traditions.
- Black Student Union: Serves as a forum for communication amongst diverse students, faculty for respect, inclusion and cultural awareness.
- Caribbean Students Association: Promotes constructive social/cultural relationships with the college through cultural exhibits, lectures and field trips.
- Curly Club: An all-inclusive club to celebrate and embrace hair. Hair textures are an essential association to not only people’s cultures but their identities as well. The educational aspect of our club will inform students more about their hair in ways ranging from tips and tricks to achieving the healthiest hair possible, as well as learn and talk about how hair has influenced our society and identities
- Haitian Student Association: Fosters and promotes an interest in Haitian arts, cuisine and history.
- International Cultural Club: Facilitates major and career explorations across global markets and community partnerships.
- Latin American Society: Seeks to unite the Hispanic community on campus via social and cultural events, lectures, trips, and community service.
- LGBTQ: Promotes awareness and facilitates events for friends, allies and members of the LGBTQ community
- Muslim Student Association: Created to provide members with a forum to share faith, religion, politics and culture.
- Safe Haven Bible Club: Provides an escape from the stresses during the week that college can cause. The club wants to administer hope and joy to the SFC community through the word of God.
Diversity & Inclusion News and Events
St. Francis College Among Recipients of Grant to Increase Diversity in STEM Fields
