2 students in hats outdoors

An Unprecedented Opportunity to Create a Home of Inclusivity

Berkeley is a place where the brightest minds come together for transformational change. As the highest-ranked public university in the country, UC Berkeley is looked to as a model in spearheading initiatives that address society’s evolving cultural landscape.

Even as the 2021 class of student admissions is the most diverse in over 30 years, with an increase of 42% for underrepresented minority (URM) doctoral applicants and an 82% increase for URM applicants to academic master’s programs in the last admission cycle — leading to the largest cohort in the nation — Berkeley is ever more committed to creating a campus where underrepresented students from diverse backgrounds, but with shared experiences and challenges, can find a welcoming community of support and belonging.

A unique 2-story building has become available at 2515 Channing Way. Built in 1920, the space has the potential to be re-envisioned as the first campus-wide community hub exclusively dedicated to increasing excellence through diversity and belonging at Berkeley by housing transformational programs that are leading the nation in inclusivity and belonging.

Channing Way building

The Inclusive Excellence Hub will house innovative programs

Imagine bringing our diverse community of students, faculty and community members together in a vibrant, inclusive space where students historically underrepresented in higher education can find camaraderie and build multi-disciplinary networks of their peers through innovative programming. A lively, informal space where programs focused on strengthening diversity are located next to an in-house faculty advisor and graduate student mentors who can help guide students through their academic journey.

The Hub will be home to programs that attract highly qualified prospective graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds as they tour campus, becoming a highly visible example of Berkeley’s mission as a beacon of opportunity for promising students from every background.

2 students conversing

Highlighted Inclusive Excellence Hub programming to support DEIB would include:

Dissertation Writing Workshops – to provide dissertation writing support and scaffolding

Path to the Professoriate – a learning community to promote and encourage students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education  preparation for faculty positions

Resident Faculty Mentors of Color – faculty members in residence to mentor graduate and undergraduate students  and lead by example

Diversity & Community Fellows – graduate students who serve as peer mentors providing a listening ear and developing programming to build community for graduate students navigating their academic programs and campus life

Firebaugh Undergraduate Programs – supporting undocumented and underrepresented undergraduate students exploring research and graduate education

You Can make This Possible

co-working desk with chairsOur vision for an intellectual programming hub that is  a welcoming, multicultural space will support the aspirations of our students and faculty can be fulfilled before spring of 2023 with your investment.

Inclusive Excellence Hub Giving Opportunities

Building Naming: A rare campus naming opportunity exists for this vibrant diversity programming hub with support at the $10,000,000 level if approved by campus.

cafe seatingInclusive Program Naming: Programming investments will provide the intellectual basis to maintain the innovative scaffolding happening at the Hub. Investments of $1,000,000 – $5,000,000 will endow and provide program naming opportunities for supporting our underrepresented student community.

conference roomInclusive Excellence Program Supporter: Invest in the intellectual capital that promotes the success for our underrepresented students.

 

We welcome your partnership, feedback, and ideas as we work to put in place concrete efforts to allow access, build community, and move the needle for underrepresented student support. To learn how you can help, contact Liz Moress, Executive Director of Development — lizmoress@berkeley.edu

Note: Interior images are concepts only and do not represent actual Hub spaces.