At CMCI, we define inclusive excellence as the commitment to excellence guided by intentional and evolving practices of inclusivity, equity-mindedness and cultural change. Our goal is to build a college that centers the student experience while also fostering a climate in which students, staff and faculty thrive. Our mission is to ensure that our values and commitments translate into the daily doing of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. We see the work of inclusive excellence as expansive. It covers all members of our community and all facets of our college. Gifts to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund help fund programs at CMCI and make a direct impact on student success.
CMCI’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund supports the Pathways to Excellence and Connections Summer Academy programs, among many other initiatives. Pathways to Excellence is a summer program for incoming first-year students who may face additional challenges on campus, such as first-generation college students, students of color and/or LGBTQ students. The Pathways program aims to uplift diverse voices and build vital connections between students and teachers through academic enrichment and community-building activities.
Connections Summer Academy is a residential summer outreach program that introduces CMCI to a diverse group of high school students from underserved communities in Colorado. The goal is to help students foster enduring connections with one another and with the college community as they begin to imagine themselves pursuing a bachelor’s degree at CMCI. Participants engage with CMCI faculty, graduate students and peer mentors to explore creative ways to tell their stories through a range of media forms, including digital storytelling, podcasting, documentary filmmaking, data visualizations, creative writing and other types of media.
