Mission and Values | Penn State College of Health and Human Development

Three diverse HHD undergraduate women in front of Old Main

Welcome to the College of Health and Human Development

Our team is pleased to be a part of a collective, University-wide commitment that celebrates our diversity and is vigorously engaged in strengthening our mutual capacities to create an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment. We invite you to stop by the office to meet us.

Message from Nicole Webster, Associate Dean

Mission

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion promotes the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion to cultivate a welcoming climate for the College of Health and Human Development's students, faculty, and staff through direct student and administrative services, programming, and consultation.

College of Health and Human Development Commitment to Diversity: The College of Health and Human Development embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values in both its mission and vision. Our goal is to empower a diverse generation of leaders and scholars who promote human health, development, and quality of life throughout the lifespan.

Through teaching, research, and outreach programs, we strive to communicate the importance of diversity to both College and community members. Diversity is broadly defined by the College as "human differences" including differences in age, social class, disability, race, ethnicity, immigrant status, gender, gender expression, religion, veteran status, and sexual orientation.

Penn State Statement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Health and Human Development fully supports Penn State's Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

At Penn State:

We will foster and maintain a safe environment of respect and inclusion for faculty, staff, students, and members of the communities we serve.
We will educate our faculty, staff, and students to be social justice advocates, creatively providing curricula, programs, and environments that reflect the diversity of our communities, and elevate cultural awareness.
We will ensure fair and inclusive access to our facilities, programs, resources, and services, and ensure that all of our policies and practices are inclusive and equitable.
We will advance and build our workforce by assessing hiring practices and performance review procedures to attract, retain, and develop talented faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.
We will address intergroup disparities in areas such as representation, retention, learning outcomes, and graduation rates.

Our Vision

A thriving community where civility, respect, and inclusion are experienced by all members and the core values of diversity and equity are expressed broadly in our scholarly pursuits, educational practices, and aspirations to be engaged and contributing global citizens

Our History

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion was originally named the Office for Minority Affairs and then renamed the Office for Diversity Enhancement. The office was founded in 1986, making it among one of the first offices dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion at Penn State University Park. Since our inception, we have created initiatives to support the students, faculty, and staff in the College of Health and Human Development.

BBH undergraduate student standing in front of BBH building sign

"I would not have grown nearly as much as a student and professional had it not been for everyone in the Office for Diversity and Inclusion."

Dejah Harley Biobehavioral Health, class of 2018

Acknowledgement of Land

As a land grant institution, we acknowledge and honor the traditional caretakers of these lands and strive to understand and model their responsible stewardship. We also acknowledge the longer history of these lands and our place in that history.

Acknowledgement of Land