Diversity and inclusion

We know that experiences matter and can impact how an individual relates to others and the world around them. We strive to create an inclusive environment where every student, staff member, and faculty member feels valued and has meaningful experiences that affirm and embrace their identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.

You're welcome here

We’re committed to increasing equity and diversity in our undergraduate and graduate academic programs, within our faculty, and in our curriculum, research, and outreach. We’re dedicated to building a culture that’s grounded in principles of equity and social justice and that affirms and embraces the multiple identities, values, perspectives, knowledge, belief systems, and cultural practices of diverse individuals and communities.

Diversity in Psychology Day 2019

We still have work to do

We’re committed to increasing diversity but recognize that we still have work to do. We’ve taken specific steps to support a culture of diversity and inclusion at the Institute of Child Development (ICD) and in the psychological sciences at the University of Minnesota (U of M).

ICD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee provides guidance to the ICD Director, faculty, staff, and students on how to promote and sustain diversity, equity, and inclusion in our values, practices, policies, initiatives, and overall departmental climate. The committee considers ways to improve ICD's departmental climate and service to students from underrepresented groups, including ethnic and racial minorities, first generation undergraduate and graduate students, those from the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with disabilities. The committee meets in full or in subcommittees every two weeks and is made up of faculty, staff, and graduate students.

Tri-Psychology programs

We've partnered with the Department of Psychology and the Department of Educational Psychology to support underrepresented students in the psychological sciences. As part of "Tri-Psych," we strive to create welcoming, affirming, and inclusive spaces that invite respectful exchanges of ideas. We also strive to advance research within topics focused on underrepresented groups while providing a nurturing environment for students to explore and thrive in their areas of interest. Learn more

Applications for the Graduate Student Diversity Fund are now open! Get more information and apply by January 20, 2023!

Diversity in Psychology Program

The Department of Psychology, with support from ICD and the Department of Educational Psychology, sponsors the Diversity in Psychology Program to introduce students to our PhD programs in psychology, developmental psychology, and educational psychology. Each year, students selected for the program are invited to the Twin Cities—all expenses paid—to meet current students and faculty and to explore graduate program options. Learn more

Our commitment to anti-racism

Our anti-racism statement outlines our commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within the department and to contributing to a more just and equitable society.

Read our statement

Diversity in our research

We're committed to working with people and communities facing social, cultural, economic, physical, and attitudinal barriers to education and jobs, to promotion and advancement, and to the highest levels of achievement and success. We have a role in addressing fundamental issues of bias, discrimination, and exclusion.

In this spirit, many of our faculty members and students conduct research that focuses on identifying ways to promote success in school and in life in underrepresented populations. We aim to contribute to solving our society’s most critical issues, such as building healthy relationships and healthy communities, closing the opportunity gap, combating adolescent substance abuse, charting brain growth and health, and globalization.

Learn more about our research

We're driven to make a difference

I am dedicated to creating inclusive spaces for diverse voices, both in who conducts research and who is represented in the research. By not only supporting diversity in our students, faculty, and research questions, but also engaging the community in our work, we will be better equipped to tackle the grand challenges of today and tomorrow.

Keira Leneman
PhD in developmental psychology student
Member of the ICD Diversity Committee

Financial resources

Tri-Psych Graduate Student Diversity Fund

This fund supports proposals that build community for underrepresented students, provide opportunities to encourage and support fellow students, and build stronger collaborations across departments. Applications are now open for the 2021-22 Tri-Psych Graduate Student Diversity Fund. Deadline to apply: January 15, 2022.

Diversity of Views and Experience Fellowship

The Diversity of Views and Experience (DOVE) Fellowship is awarded to approximately 20 first-year students from underrepresented groups. The fellowship provides a living stipend, tuition, and subsidized health insurance for one academic year.

Common Ground Consortium in the College of Education and Human Development

The Common Ground Consortium (CGC) supports 8-10 Black graduate students per year in their full-time studies in the college. The CGC supports educators training to become future tenure-track faculty as well as practitioner-scholars in many fields of education and human development.

McNair Scholars resources

The McNair program assists eligible first-generation undergraduate students from low-income families to prepare for and to enter graduate programs leading to the PhD Participants include academically talented low-income, first-generation students and students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in graduate programs.

Scholarly Excellence in Equity and Diversity Awards

Scholarly Excellence in Equity and Diversity (SEED) Awards honor UMN graduate and professional students whose research and scholarly interest are focused on issues of equity, diversity, and/or social justice, and who demonstrate outstanding creativity, innovation, and potential for excellence in their field. Awardees must demonstrate experience with or commitment to working with underrepresented or marginalized populations.

Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship

The Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties. This fellowship provides three years of support for doctoral students. Students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college level, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource are encouraged to apply.

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Endowed Scholarship

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) Endowed Scholarship program is designed to recruit and retain talented American Indian students with demonstrated financial need to the U of M. The scholarship program supports incoming first-year and transfer students. Scholarships may also be awarded to newly-admitted graduate and professional students.

American Indian College Fund

The American Indian College Fund offers scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students attending accredited public and non-profit private colleges across the United States.

Diversity at the University of Minnesota and in the Twin Cities

The U of M is a multicultural campus that embraces diversity as fundamental to its operations, programs, and research. At the U of M, "[w]e all share responsibility for equity and diversity—it’s everybody’s everyday work. Diversity goes well beyond numeric representation and access. Far from just enriching campus life or the academic experience, equity and diversity are critical to issues of campus culture and climate, and fundamental to everything we do."

The University offers numerous organizations, resources, and activities that support students from all backgrounds and aim to make campus a welcoming environment for every individual.

The Twin Cities is a global community that represents cultures from around the world. Minneapolis has an established Black community and a strong American Indian heritage. It’s home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., the largest Hmong population outside of Laos, large Vietnamese and Ethiopian populations, and a fast-growing Hispanic and Latinx community.

Institute of Child Development