The Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE) is committed to supporting excellence within graduate education at Cornell, and fostering environments where all scholars, but especially those from backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy, can find community, experience positive mentoring relationships, and establish a sense of belonging. Our collaborative programming provides graduate students and future faculty with academic, community, and professional development opportunities critical to their success at Cornell and beyond. OISE also facilitates positive systemic change to advance diversity, access, equity, and belonging in graduate education and the academy more broadly.

Vision

Our vision is for Cornell to become a place where all members of our graduate community, but especially those from backgrounds historically excluded and underrepresented in the academy, can establish a sense of belonging, feel affirmed, see themselves represented in multiple dimensions, and thrive as scholars.

Dual Mission

Our mission is for graduate students to establish a sense of belonging at Cornell and achieve their academic and professional aspirations; and to facilitate access, equity, diversity, and inclusion within graduate education through evidence-based practices and positive systemic change.

Goals: Advance. Engage. Develop.

Advance

To advance positive systemic change and scholar-focused efforts that make graduate education more accessible and inclusive, especially for those from backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy.

Engage

To engage graduate students and future faculty in opportunities that support their academic and social sense of belonging. To engage faculty and other partners in graduate education in activities that support their understanding, ongoing development, and application of evidence and equity-based recruitment, selection, and inclusive mentoring practices.

Develop

To collaboratively develop and model timely, proactive scholar and systemic-focused initiatives that can be adapted and adopted within graduate education at Cornell and beyond.