Mission Statement

A diversity of perspectives and ideas is critical for the advancement of knowledge and scientific innovation. Therefore it is vital that academic institutions create and promote an environment that fosters diversity and inclusion at the highest levels of research and scholarship. Established in 2002, the Center for Inclusive Education (CIE) has been committed to advancing diversity in graduate education, academia, and the scientific workforce. The CIE works to recruit, retain, and graduate underrepresented minority and otherwise disadvantaged scholars, as well as those scholars who advance the mission of increasing diversity of their respective fields. To ensure the success of our scholars, we provide financial assistance, social support, and advocacy. We also promote academic and professional development and a strong sense of community through our signature core activities that include the Research Café series, Topic Based Lunches, Real Talk discussion groups, Invited Speakers, and the Community of Student Mentors program.

The CIE is dedicated to increasing awareness of issues related to diversity at the university level, collaborating with faculty and staff to enhance the diversity of their respective departments, identify and work to remove barriers to underrepresented scholar success,  and at the national level, engage in scholarly research activities and program assessment, with the ultimate goal of contributing to greater body of knowledge related to issues of inclusion and diversity. These efforts have been recognized through several grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the State of New York. With over 600 alumni and 160 current scholars, the CIE remains dedicated to the mission of enhancing diversity and inclusion of the academic world.