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Engage New and Diverse Populations
The soul of this University is its people. As in all God’s handiwork, we discern majesty in the richness of creation and seek to embrace it more fully. Creating space for the underrepresented, the disadvantaged, the broken and the strong, all united in a common search to find their personal mission, will enhance the spirit of our learning community and better reflect the world that we serve.
To achieve this Aspiration, we will…
Define the 21st-century Richmont student and reimagine our approach to recruitment to broaden the size and plurality of our prospective student pool through a master enrollment growth plan that includes critical emphasis on underrepresented, socio-economically disadvantaged, and trauma-affected subpopulations.
Create and sustain a Diversity Advisory Council to articulate and guide inclusion efforts and ensure continuing mindfulness on this core element of campus culture.
Establish a virtual foothold in cyberspace through an emerging thought leadership presence in our areas of expertise.
Build professional and educational relationships with other universities, church networks, and other for- as well as non-profit organizations to expand our recruiting base and attract new students.
Become a leader in multi-cultural competency training through an Institute on Diversity and Inclusion.
Introduce targeted techniques to engage new and diverse students by entering into relationships with the front line “home” institutions that currently serve them: veteran’s affairs offices, law enforcement, first-responders, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, African-American churches, and other related agencies or networks.
Principle Initiatives
2019
- Student enrollment has reached historic all-time highs through new approaches to open house events and unique ways of connecting with prospective students in their own unique environments.
- The launching of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the first in the institution’s history, marks Richmont’s commitment to the intentional creation of an environment of belonging that celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of our students, faculty, and staff, with the goal of advancing God’s healing, restoration, and transformation in the lives of individuals, families, churches, and communities.
- In the institution’s ever-expanding pursuit to positively impact its local and nationwide communities by meeting the mental health needs of its constituents, trauma-related trainings were provided to partnering and fellow Christian ministries and community mental health organizations. Partner ministries and organizations have included Green Cross Academy of Traumatology Atlanta & Chattanooga Campus, Walton Communities, Liberty University, Chattanooga Prep, Partners for Families, Children and Adults, Cleveland FD, Lee University, Wellspring Living, Uncaged, Camiola Global Resources/Voice of the Martyrs (Nigeria)
100% Complete or Complete & Ongoing
2020
- The launching of Diversity Dialogues, marked one of several steps taken in 2020 to ensure the fostering of meaningful conversations between faculty, students, and staff around race, diversity, and social injustice.
- The fund-raising campaign to increase the financial base of the Bridge Scholarship by 100%, and triple the number of BIPOC recipients by 2021, was launched in a continued effort to move toward equity and inclusion for racially diverse students from marginalized populations. To date, we are 83% of the way toward our goal and have established a group of alumni leaders foster the continued growth of this historic scholarship.
- Richmont’s trauma center provides services to families specializing in trauma, marriage and family therapy, and child and adolescent counseling. These multiple specializations, alongside our sliding scale fees, allow Richmont to provide more holistic care to traditionally underserved families in need. Clients served has grown over 10% in the last year.
50% Complete or Complete & Ongoing; 50% In Progress
2021
- Pursue with Global Servants the possibility of a partnership to bring significant international student enrollments into the School of Ministry
- Establish an Institute for Diversity and Inclusion to become a recognized “thought leader” and primary training certification site within Christian higher education and religious organizations
100% In Progress