Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Seaver College
The Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering prepares tomorrow’s engineers, scientists, and mathematicians with a strong STEM foundation to pursue lives of meaning and purpose. We do this with a commitment to foster a sense of belonging, reinforce diversity and equity initiatives, and cultivate an anti-racist institutional climate that supports inclusive excellence and contests systemic oppression in all forms.
Seaver DEI Spotlight
HHMI $2.5M Grant
In 2022, LMU was selected by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to receive a $2.5 million five-year Driving Change grant, which is going toward efforts to bring greater equity for students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM education. The funds have been used to develop a summer faculty institute to equip Seaver faculty with knowledge about systemic racism and its impact on the learning environment. It provides support for their development as equity-minded practitioners, and implementation of equity-centered data collection, stewardship, and assessment practices to empower leadership, faculty, and campus partners to elevate the success of all students. The funds have also been used to develop a STEM research learning community (RLC) tailored to underrepresented sophomore students. The RLC program includes a fall seminar designed to develop basic research skills, followed by a spring research experience with faculty mentors. The program is headed by Heather Tarleton, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development, who drew a connection between the grant and LMU's mission, which calls for educating the whole person and promoting justice.
Learn more about HHMI x LMU
Spring 2025 Featured Events
DEI Committee Highlights
Seaver DEI Committee Town Hall
Date: Thursday, February 13 | 3:00–5:00 PM
Location: Von der Ahe Suite, William H. Hannon Library
Seaver College faculty and staff gathered for a DEI Committee Town Hall to engage in dialogue around ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the college. Attendees had the opportunity to meet committee members, share input, and network while enjoying refreshments. Vice Provost Kat Weaver and Vice President for DEI Emelyn dela Peña were present to provide updates and address questions related to the university’s response to the broader DEI climate.
Participants were encouraged to attend as their schedules allowed, making it an accessible and welcoming space for community engagement.
Inclusive Advising Workshop
Faculty and staff gathered for a collaborative lunch session hosted by the Seaver Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in partnership with the First Year Advising Committee. The event focused on inclusive advising best practices, offering practical strategies and insights to support a more equitable student experience.
Attendees engaged in thoughtful discussion while enjoying a provided lunch, creating space for reflection and community building around student support and DEI-centered advising.
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College-Wide & Department Events
Film Screening: Journeys of Black Mathematicians – Creating Pathways
Date: Wednesday, February 5 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Featherston Life Sciences Building Auditorium (FEA 120)
The Seaver College community was invited to a special screening of Journeys of Black Mathematicians: Creating Pathways, a documentary that highlights the lives of Black mathematicians who pursued their education at predominantly White institutions. The film explored the impacts of segregation and prejudice, examined issues of identity in academic spaces, and introduced initiatives aimed at increasing the number of African Americans in STEM fields.
Beyond these important themes, the film also touched on the beauty and philosophical depth of mathematics, while emphasizing the meaningful career opportunities math provides for future generations. Notably, the film featured footage recorded at LMU, including contributions from Dr. Robin Wilson of the LMU Mathematics Department.
The screening ran from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and was followed by a live panel discussion with the film’s director, George Csicsery, along with several of the mathematicians featured in the film.
Expanding the Narrative in STEM
Date: Thursday, April 4
Hosted by: Seaver College Biology Department
Originally led by biology major Erykah Walton, the initiative showcased the stories and scientific contributions of Black scientists through a seminar titled Expanding the Narrative in STEM.
Building on that foundation, the Biology department hosted a new installment of the seminar on April 4. Five faculty members presented engaging vignettes on the lives and work of five trans biologists and biochemists—four Black and one White—both historical and living. The event served as both an educational opportunity and a meaningful act of representation in STEM.
View More LMU DEI EventsDEI Resources
To build any bridge, it requires tools. In keeping with the vision outlined in our institution's Strategic Plan 2021 - 2026, LMU is actively working form a new generation of ethical leaders able to identify, analyze, and respond to the most challenging problems facing our rapidly changing global society. As our students begin to build upon these foundational principles, we too must set about integrating knowledge with action. View LMUs Strategic Plan 2021 - 2026 as a pdf here.
The Seaver College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Seaver’s DEI Committee welcomes your engagement and participation. Comprising staff, faculty, and administrators, our committee strives to move our institutional structure and processes towards equity and inclusion and to address systemic racism, discrimination, and disparities in our college. STEM disciplines have long suffered from under-representation of women as well as Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people. We must understand the reasons for this and work to correct them, and it will take all of us working together to make it happen. Please join us in this task!
Contact the committee at seaverdeic@lmu.edu.
Archived Events & Opportunities
The Archives Page contains past diversity, equity, and inclusion related events, initiatives, and opportunities that have concluded. We preserve these to highlight our progress and inspire future engagement.