Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At the School of Law, we foster a vibrant and dynamic community culture of inclusion that inspires and supports students to become leaders in the field of law and engages faculty, staff, and students to know better, do better, and lead by the best example. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion works to ensure all members of our law school community feel valued and supported. It’s not just caring for the whole person. It’s caring for every person by embracing and celebrating the rich identities—racial, ethnic, spiritual, income level, gender identity, and sexual orientation, among others—that are a part of our community.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion supports students and upholds the law school’s mission by prioritizing the following:
Academic Support & Student Success
ODEI supports student success through collaboration with Academic Success and Bar Passage, as well as pipeline and transition programming.
Pipeline and Entry Programs
- Jumpstart (multi-law school collaboration supporting incoming students)
- Loyola Law School 101 (pre-orientation program; approximately 50% participation)
These programs introduce students to:
- Academic expectations
- Legal skills and terminology
- Professional identity and belonging
Ongoing Student Support
- Academic success workshops and bar preparation programming
- Individual advising and student support meetings
- Support for student organizations and affinity groups
Building Community & Belonging
ODEI fosters a law school community where all members feel valued, supported, and connected.
Signature Programs
- Community Dinners for faculty, staff, and alumni (3 each fall and spring)
- Coffee, Crafts, and Donuts (recurring wellness and connection spaces)
- Music as Resistance (interdisciplinary program exploring culture, identity, and justice)
- Interfaith, cultural, and heritage programming
New Initiatives
- Hobbies & Interests Initiative, creating small-group, peer-led micro-communities
- Expanded leadership development spaces, including Gallup Strengths sessions
Community Care & Climate Response
ODEI plays a central role in supporting students and maintaining a responsive and values-driven community environment.
Approach
- Meet with students to listen, support, and clarify options
- Facilitate conversations with faculty and administrators
- Coordinate with the Office of Equity & Compliance
- Emphasize restorative and educational responses
Leadership Development & Professional Identity Formation
A central focus is embedding leadership development into the student experience.
Strengths-Based Leadership Initiative
ODEI implements a strengths-based leadership model grounded in the CliftonStrengths framework.
Orientation Program
Incoming students participate in “Know Your Strengths: Tools for Courageous Community, Professionalism, and Leadership.”
This program emphasizes:
- Self-awareness as the foundation of leadership
- Reflection on values and professional identity
- Understanding one’s role in community
Ongoing Leadership Programming
- Strengths-based workshops for student organizations and leadership teams
- Integration into student organization development, including Loyola Law Journal leadership preparation
Example implementation includes requiring completion of the CliftonStrengths assessment prior to a general body meeting, with use of Top 5 strengths to guide team collaboration and reflection.
Lawyers as Leaders Course
ODEI teaches Lawyers as Leaders, a course grounded in adaptive leadership and social justice.
Course components include:
- StrengthsFinder assessment
- Business case simulations
- Discussion leadership
- Guest speakers, including national and community leaders
Student Organization Support
ODEI deepens engagement with student organizations through:
- Attendance at student organization meetings to share resources and build relationships
- Co-sponsorship funding to support student-led initiatives
- Funding for cultural and professional programming, including OUTLaw networking and professional events
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Project
In Spring 2024, the School of Law partnered with the Equality Institute to better support the LGBTQIA+ individuals in our community. The Equality Institute analyzed the law school’s existing DEI strategy and its programs, policies, processes, and partnerships. They talked with current and former law school faculty, staff, and students. They also met with several university staff members. In the Fall of 2024, the Equality Institute provided several recommendations. You can track progress on the inclusion project goals here.
Reporting Discrimination or Sexual Misconduct
The School of Law encourages anyone who experiences discrimination or sexual misconduct to submit a report so that the University may take appropriate steps to promptly stop, prevent, and remedy any substantiated violation. The University recognizes the privacy and sensitivity of such reports, and only shares information internally on a need-to-know basis when necessary to effectively respond to the report. The University also understands that for various reasons an affected party may prefer to report anonymously or to share only limited information. If you have experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct, please submit a report through the Office of Equity and Compliance.
Loyola's Land Acknowledgment Statement
💖苹果ID | 美国 | 注册超10年私人号 | 激活了ic Apple ID【小火箭】已购买Shadowrocket | 可以修改所有资料 | 未激活iCloud has a deepened awareness of and respect for the people and history that long preceded us on the lands where our campuses now sit. We are grateful and humbled to share with the community the University’s approved Land Acknowledgement Statement (LAS):
The 💖苹果ID | 美国 | 注册超10年私人号 | 激活了ic Apple ID【小火箭】已购买Shadowrocket | 可以修改所有资料 | 未激活iCloud community acknowledges its location on the ancestral homelands of the Council of the Three Fires (the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi tribes) and a place of trade with other tribes, including the Ho-Chunk, Miami, Menominee, Sauk, and Meskwaki. We recognize that descendants of these and other North American tribes continue to live and work on this land with us. We recognize the tragic legacy of colonization, genocide, and oppression that still impacts Native American lives today. As a Jesuit university, we affirm our commitment to issues of social responsibility and justice. We further recognize our responsibility to understand, teach, and respect the past and present realities of local Native Americans and their continued connection to this land.
The LAS is a formal statement recognizing Indigenous People as immemorial stewards of the land on which our campuses are located. The LAS pays respect to the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional lands. The intent is not just to acknowledge this bond but also to deepen awareness of our connection to history and our current understanding of our place, roles, and responsibilities given that history. This acknowledgment may be painful, but it is an important development within our efforts to move Loyola in the direction of greater inclusivity, deeper anti-racist action, and commitment to stewardship of our planet.
At the School of Law, we foster a vibrant and dynamic community culture of inclusion that inspires and supports students to become leaders in the field of law and engages faculty, staff, and students to know better, do better, and lead by the best example. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion works to ensure all members of our law school community feel valued and supported. It’s not just caring for the whole person. It’s caring for every person by embracing and celebrating the rich identities—racial, ethnic, spiritual, income level, gender identity, and sexual orientation, among others—that are a part of our community.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion supports students and upholds the law school’s mission by prioritizing the following:
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Project
In Spring 2024, the School of Law partnered with the Equality Institute to better support the LGBTQIA+ individuals in our community. The Equality Institute analyzed the law school’s existing DEI strategy and its programs, policies, processes, and partnerships. They talked with current and former law school faculty, staff, and students. They also met with several university staff members. In the Fall of 2024, the Equality Institute provided several recommendations. You can track progress on the inclusion project goals here.
Reporting Discrimination or Sexual Misconduct
The School of Law encourages anyone who experiences discrimination or sexual misconduct to submit a report so that the University may take appropriate steps to promptly stop, prevent, and remedy any substantiated violation. The University recognizes the privacy and sensitivity of such reports, and only shares information internally on a need-to-know basis when necessary to effectively respond to the report. The University also understands that for various reasons an affected party may prefer to report anonymously or to share only limited information. If you have experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct, please submit a report through the Office of Equity and Compliance.
Loyola's Land Acknowledgment Statement
💖苹果ID | 美国 | 注册超10年私人号 | 激活了ic Apple ID【小火箭】已购买Shadowrocket | 可以修改所有资料 | 未激活iCloud has a deepened awareness of and respect for the people and history that long preceded us on the lands where our campuses now sit. We are grateful and humbled to share with the community the University’s approved Land Acknowledgement Statement (LAS):
The 💖苹果ID | 美国 | 注册超10年私人号 | 激活了ic Apple ID【小火箭】已购买Shadowrocket | 可以修改所有资料 | 未激活iCloud community acknowledges its location on the ancestral homelands of the Council of the Three Fires (the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi tribes) and a place of trade with other tribes, including the Ho-Chunk, Miami, Menominee, Sauk, and Meskwaki. We recognize that descendants of these and other North American tribes continue to live and work on this land with us. We recognize the tragic legacy of colonization, genocide, and oppression that still impacts Native American lives today. As a Jesuit university, we affirm our commitment to issues of social responsibility and justice. We further recognize our responsibility to understand, teach, and respect the past and present realities of local Native Americans and their continued connection to this land.
The LAS is a formal statement recognizing Indigenous People as immemorial stewards of the land on which our campuses are located. The LAS pays respect to the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional lands. The intent is not just to acknowledge this bond but also to deepen awareness of our connection to history and our current understanding of our place, roles, and responsibilities given that history. This acknowledgment may be painful, but it is an important development within our efforts to move Loyola in the direction of greater inclusivity, deeper anti-racist action, and commitment to stewardship of our planet.