As a Catholic university in the liberal arts tradition, the University of San Diego strives to provide an intellectually stimulating and enriching experience for all students and supports the development of the whole person. USD takes a student-centered approach to learning, in which students are empowered to take co-creative roles in their education while the university works to ensure that every student and every group of students experience its transformative potential. Students who decide to attend USD deserve the institution’s best efforts to support their success, measured by retention, persistence, graduation rates and level of integration into the campus community, as well as satisfaction, fulfillment, and happiness in chosen paths after graduation.
Lauren Washington ’22 (BS/BA)
For Lauren Washington ’22 (BS/BA), representation and accessibility matters. She was inspired to switch her major from political science to engineering after being inspired by a human-centered design course taught by Odesma Dalrymple, PhD, an associate professor in the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering.
Fully embracing her new academic path, Washington attended the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) national conference her first year on campus as the only female engineering representative from USD, which she credits as a pivotal moment in her engineering journey. She is now serving as the first female president of the campus’ NSBE chapter.
Seeing people who look like me, or like my dad, or my brother, or people in my family was important to me. Seeing people who I identify with, wearing suits and business attire, was such a positive representation. This is a big deal for me since I started off as the only USD female representative to attend the NSBE national convention. Now, the USD chapter is a predominantly female executive board.
A sample of initiatives related to Student Success, Retention and Integration:
- TRIO provides student support services for low-income, first-generation, students with disabilities and underrepresented populations. For more information, contact the Assistant Provost for the Institute of College Initiatives and TRIO.
- USD implemented Student Success Coaching, a four-session model of peer-to-peer coaching to promote student success. The program is encouraged for groups of students with a higher likelihood of attrition. USD also does mid-term check-ins and student outreach for those that are not yet registered for classes. For more information, contact the Center for Student Success.
- Designed by the Graduate Student Support Network, a Graduate and Law Student Summer Bridge program was created as an onboarding program to provide sessions around: financial assistance, hidden curriculum and finding community at USD. For more information, contact Graduate Student Life.
- The Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering supports three diverse student groups — the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic and Professional Engineers the and Society of Women Engineers — to attend national conferences, where they connect with internship and career opportunities. For more information, contact Engineering’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA) Committee.
- USD implemented the Black Summer Immersion Program, a program which seeks to equip incoming Black students with adequate resources and tools to better prepare them for their collegiate experience. For more information, contact the Director of the BSRC.
- One Stop and Financial Aid collaborate with the Dean’s Office, Center for Student Success and other offices to identify students in need of intervention through Persistence Response Reports.
- In support of eliminating cultural barriers, Student Financial Services (SFS) collaborates with Spanish-speaking students and their families to consider how the university can more thoughtfully contribute to success for students and their families. SFS translated helpful reference documents into Spanish and participates in Spanish-speaking Summer send-offs for incoming students and their families. Additionally, SFS has multiple staff in each unit that are fluent in Spanish to assist students and their families in their native language.
- SFS developed an electronic application to consolidate students' prior year loan disbursements and current year awarded amounts. This provided a tool for students to anticipate loan repayment amounts and terms and evaluate how accepting the current year loan award would affect repayment.
- USD hosts Financial Wellness Workshops with the aim to empower undergraduate and graduate students to confidently navigate their finances in a way that supports their overall well-being.
- USD’s Office of Budget and Planning presented a case to the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees for all increment funds which were not intended for a merit pool to be directed to student financial aid, supporting the elimination of economic barriers for students. For more information, contact the Chief Financial Officer.
- USD is developing a campaign strategy to fundraise for the Horizon Project Trustee Matching Gift Challenge to raise $1 million for scholarships and programs that support diversity initiatives and underrepresented campus populations.
- The Annual Alumni Wine Classic supports scholarships for students from underrepresented populations. For more information, contact the Vice President for University Advancement.
- Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) identifies and tracks areas in which individual students and identity cohorts of students require support and develops and assesses strategies for groups of students whose retention, persistence and graduation rates are lower than those of the general student population and/or experience a lack of integration into the USD community. For more information, contact the Director of IRP or the Student Success Committee (who utilizes the data on a consistent basis).
- The School of Law is providing additional support to students from underrepresented groups and has a new position in Law Student Affairs to support diversity while offering enhanced support for student affinity groups. In addition, the School of Law is creating a network of alumni affinity groups, which, among other initiatives, will actively support current students.
- Fraternity and sorority life has reduced or removed the recruitment registration fee to create greater access. It hosts the Black in Panhellenic Discussion Group and the First-Gen Sorority Panel. It also established the Lettered Multicultural Counsel to increase the visibility of culturally-based fraternal organizations.
- The USD Food Pantry and Torero Closet provides free food, hygiene products and professional clothing to students experiencing food insecurity.
- Student Affairs has a First Generation Action Team, which helps to enhance the student experience for first-generation students as well as guide them to resources for their success.
- The Center for Health and Wellness has created multiple affinity groups to support diverse students, including Empowered@USD for Black students, First-Gen Connect and the Rainbow Process Group for the LGBTQ+ community.
- USD has many Commons ,including the Women’s Commons, United Front Multicultural Commons and the LGBTQ+ and Allies Commons.
- Assessment and Research in Student Affairs disaggregates data from major student surveys — such as the Fall transition survey, mid-year survey, Spring follow-up survey and end-of-year survey — by various student characteristics to identify differences throughout the course of the academic year.
- USD’s Student Wellness Center administers the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment survey and reviews the data by student identities — such as LGBTQ+ and non-white race — to identify and track areas where student populations may require enhanced support.
- The Associated Student Government has started an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Committee which is committed to working with every member of the campus community to resolve issues and allow the voice of all students to be heard while using critical thinking and specific data to help drive decisions and actions that foster a community that is both welcoming and inclusive.
- The Torero Renaissance Scholars Program supports students who are former foster youth, homeless or at risk of homelessness.
- USD provides accommodations for students with documented disabilities through the Disability and Learning Difference Resource Center.
- Residential Administration provides approvals and considerations outside the Residential Terms and Conditions in order to remove barriers and provide opportunities for residential students to participate in success programs and secure safe housing as an undergraduate student.
- Orientation/onboarding students includes identity socials to enhance connections to campus and a sense of belonging.
- University Ministry recently worked with Admissions and Publications to create a new section of the USD homepage titled “Faith and Service.” This section highlights the direct connection between USD’s mission and Catholic identity to our commitment to diversity and inclusion. It also features diverse students describing their experiences on campus.
Areas of Focus