In 2005, the Office of Diversity Services started as a result of student activism. Our office demanded that the school do more to increase student diversity. For the next ten (10) years, dedicated efforts were developed to increase the student diversity and in 2012, the office expanded in hiring an Outreach Coordinator. The office was and is composed of two staff members and also a cadre of student staff (GRADS Coordinators) and volunteers (GRADS Ambassadors) to ensure that DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) efforts are fully maintained. Outreach over the years has been targeted to a variety of institutions, such as California State Schools, other UCs, private colleges, community colleges, HBCUs, HSIs and high schools.
In 2005, the underrepresented minority population at BPH was 5%. In 2015, that number increased to 17%. Our goal is to have a student population that mirrors the demographics of the State of California, who will become shovel ready to tackle the pressing public health issues facing our most vulnerable community members.
Although what started with a focus in increasing the numbers of diverse students, the position expanded to assist the institution in creating more equitable admissions policies as well as addressing the priority of hiring faculty of color. The office was also instrumental in the development of the first ever school wide committee called D.I.C.E, diversity, inclusion, community, and equity that has addressed school wide “dice” issues. Additionally, a Summer Preparatory Program was designed to help students gain access to academic, campus, and school resources before classes begin. Eventually, the Office of Diversity Services became the DREAM office and now serves as a model for the UC Berkeley campus on how to recruit, retain, and graduate a top class of diverse public health graduate students.