Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Fund was established to promote a truly inclusive campus culture that supports historically underrepresented students, faculty and staff within Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. The fund aims to strengthen a specific college-wide strategic priority to “advance LeBow’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) culture by promoting and sustaining a vibrant and inclusive environment.”

The goal of the DEI Fund is to foster inclusive excellence, help eliminate barriers and create a thriving learning and work environment for all students, faculty and staff.

Fund Major Components

The DEI Fund includes the following major components with the goal of sustaining LeBow’s efforts to advance access and equity, recruit and retain a diverse student body and workforce, and support an inclusive campus culture. These major components include:

Supporting Current and Prospective Students

The DEI Fund will provide financial support for students demonstrating a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in academics and business, as well as to social justice initiatives and engagement with the LeBow community. Funding for current students will also provide resources to attend conferences, case competitions or other professional development programs that promote DEI.

This fund will also provide scholarships to prospective high school students from the Philadelphia region who want to participate in LeBow’s enriching Camp Business summer program designed to “give rising high school juniors and seniors an intensive introduction to both collegiate and corporate business education.” It will also be used to finance other recruitment efforts to ensure ALL students see LeBow as a possibility and a place where they can succeed.

Funding Requests

Gifts made to the LeBow College of Business’ DEI Fund will be used where it is most needed within the listed focus areas and will be managed by a review committee comprising the Dean, faculty and staff from the LeBow BRIDGE program and members of the DEI Action Group. Requests for funding will be accepted on a rolling basis or until funds are exhausted.

If you are a student seeking funds for professional development programs or conferences, or if you would like to host a DEI-related event, please contact Trina Larsen Andras, PhD, at larsent@drexel.edu. Applicants will need to briefly describe their project and its benefits and timeline as well as provide a tentative proposed budget. The DEI Fund review committee will review each request and determine if and how much funding will be granted.