A Community of Practice Where Everyone Belongs
Waubonsee is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and our deliberate participation in these types of programs and events helps us to fulfill our mission of providing education and training services to all members of our community. We are intentional about creating a college culture where our differences are celebrated, honored, and where people can belong.
DEI is not a theory, it’s an everyday community of practice at Waubonsee where we intentionally:
- Hold space for each other to find a sense of belonging
- Prioritize listening to each other’s stories, experiences, and histories
- Create room to learn and grow from one another
Learn more about DEI:
At Waubonsee, we have defined these three related but different terms as:
Diversity
is an intentional appreciation of differences expressed in countless forms, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, (dis)ability status and political perspective.
Inclusion
is the intentional commitment to being a college where individual differences are welcomed, honored, and respectfully heard, and where all individuals feel a sense of belonging at Waubonsee.
Equity
is the practice of intentionally working to ensure that individual or social circumstances are not obstacles to achieving one’s potential. This is reflected through our policies and processes at the college which acknowledge the need to actively remove barriers and create opportunities for success for each individual within the Waubonsee community.
As defined by the Department of Education, HSIs have 25% or more undergraduate Hispanic student full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment as well as high concentrations of students with financial need. Waubonsee is proud to be one of 600 HSIs across the nation, with a student population that was more than 30% Latinx in fall 2022.
The true spirit of being an HSI goes beyond enrollment numbers; it is reflected in practice. It involves intentionally designing support models and providing resources that empower Latinx students, employees, and the broader community. Many of these resources are available through the Latinx Resource Center, which is funded by a Title V grant.
A welcoming and inclusive spirit is found throughout the college, as we continue to improve on serving Latinx learners holistically and strive to demonstrate HSI excellence. This builds on the Servingness framework developed by scholar Dr. Gina Ann Garcia in that servingness is rooted in increased outcomes and that organizational culture is reflective of this institutional identity.
Meet the Staff
Dr. Marleigha Evans
Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
Marleigha Evans earned her doctorate at the University of Southern Mississippi in Higher Education Administration. Growing up in the hospitality state, Mississippi, Marleigha has always had a passion for helping others. In terms of helping others, Marleigha believes education is the perfect avenue. Malcolm X once stated, "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today," and Marleigha desires to help others prepare for their futures. At Waubonsee, Marleigha currently serves as the Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator. In her free time, Marleigha enjoys getting back to her Southern roots by cooking homemade meals for her family and friends and practicing self-care.
