The School of Continuing Studies (SCS) annual Dean’s Report emphasized Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts.   

This year’s report, which summarizes achievements and themes in the most recent academic year, was released in December, and conveys the many manifestations of DEI at the SCS, weaving testimonials from administrators and professors as well as current students and alumni. The report highlights major developments of the past years, profiles and perspectives of students and faculty. 

The SCS Dean’s report for the 2020-2021 academic year focused on creating communities during virtual instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the 2020-2019 report was centered on creating lifelong networks. 

Dean of the SCS Kelly Otter said the SCS focused on DEI for this year’s report given the rise of social justice movements across the country. 

“While it has been nearly two years since the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the events of Summer 2020 continue to reverberate and make a profound impact on our School: from the founding of the Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion Council (DEBIC) to the launch of DEI-focused programs and certificates,” Otter wrote.  

The SCS continues to work on integrating DEI into the Georgeotwn community on a daily basis, according to Otter. 

“For a topic as complex as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), it was important to us to enable diverse stories and voices to be heard from different parts of the School,” Otter wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The team first met with key department heads—ranging from our degree programs to professional certificate programs to summer programs—for recommendations about key DEI-related initiatives in their respective programs, or students and alumni doing inspiring work in this area.” 

Since fall of 2021, Vice Dean for Education and Faculty Affairs at the SCS Shenita Ray has collaborated with the events team, online operations, academic officers and program roundtables to design and evaluate a framework to thoroughly integrate Jesuit values with DEI standards into the SCS. 

This initiative would facilitate dialogue, alter habits and empower the community to cultivate change, according to Ray. 

“A key takeaway from the SCS Dean’s Report is that it features articles reflective of writers across the School’s diverse programming,” Ray wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It is inclusive of a range of perspectives within the SCS community (students, faculty, staff, alumni).”

One graduate highlighted in the report is Terrell Hawkins (GRD ’21), who pursued a master’s degree in professional studies in higher education administration (HEA). Hawkins now works as a coordinator for English language programs at Georgetown University, a U.S. State Department-funded exchange program and aspires to start a mentorship program geared towards Black American men. 

This initiative would begin in twelfth grade and provide a support system through the completion of college, according to Hawkins.  

“While my current position isn’t directly involved with students, these transferable skills have allowed me to spearhead diversity initiatives at my current organization through targeted HBCU/MSI outreach, advertising with organizations specifically for underrepresented populations, developing partnerships with affinity groups and increasing gender and cultural representation in our promotional materials,” Hawkins wrote in an email to The Hoya. 

While completing his HEA degree, Hawkins said he acquired the knowledge and practical skills necessary to create change in his community. He attributes this to his exposure to diverse classmates as well as access to transformational courses, such as a class titled “Diversity and Social Justice in Higher Education.”

“As someone aspiring to increase access and diversify the landscape of higher education, I’ve identified myself as an educator with a mission to engage students in experiential learning opportunities to foster their academic, personal, and intellectual growth,” Hawkins wrote. 

Though the Dean’s Report serves to highlight successful implementation of DEI in the SCS, it is crucial to recognize that there are still areas for improvement, according to Otter. 

“As a community we know there is still much work to do in order to become a truly inclusive and equitable School,” Otter wrote. “However, with the Dean’s Report as a starting point for discussion, we should acknowledge our progress to date and moreover, we should keep holding ourselves and each other accountable.”