Equity and Inclusion

Equity & Inclusion

At University School, our mission, our focus on community, and our dedication to equity and inclusion are transparent. Our students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni are encouraged to share their voices, experiences and ideas openly and authentically. This encouragement helps our boys develop a sense of confidence and integrity that makes them active participants in their world and the global community.

Our diverse and inclusive community is celebrated on both of our campuses. In the Lower and Middle School, the Parents’ Association’s “Creating Connections” group works to promote a multicultural learning community. Their assemblies cover topics from Caribbean Heritage Month to Religious Tolerance and they host multiple events, such as the Multicultural Potluck. A special program in the middle school is the Junior Pembroke Society, a cultural awareness organization for African-American students, which continues in high school as the Pembroke Society. In the context of the Lower School curriculum, boys learn about many different countries’ cultures, including Ghana, Egypt, Australia, China, and Mexico.

In the Upper School, students form affinity groups to explore issues of diversity on campus. These affinity groups serve as a safe space for students of similar experiences. They sponsor events for the school under the philosophy that the more we know, the more we respect one another. Popular events have included the Gospel Festivals sponsored by the Pembroke Society and the Chinese New Year celebrations hosted by the Asian Platform. All students can apply to attend the nationwide Student Diversity Leadership Conference where they gain comfort approaching delicate subjects. At the Upper School, Diversity Days throughout the year also expose students to relevant speakers, performances, and mini-classes, and a pilot Freshman Seminar program utilizes peer facilitators to introduce students to others’ varied experiences.

"Dancing Wheels" performs at the Upper School
7th grade Spanish classes celebrate the Day of the Dead
Upper School students visit a Hindu temple with their Ethics and Religion class
Yiddishe Cup, a Klezmer band, performs at the Shaker Campus
Mayor Brad Sellers visits with the Junior Pembroke Society
Fourth Graders learn tai chi
US students participate in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference
Students and parents enjoy cuisine from around the world at the Multicultural Potluck
Students and their family's enjoy food from around the world at our Global Table potluck

Our Community

We believe students learn their most formative and enduring lessons through experience with a broad range of ideas and viewpoints. We recruit and support faculty whose backgrounds and training bring local, national, and international perspectives to our school. We admit and support students who represent economically, culturally, and racially diverse communities within Northeast Ohio.

Each student has many opportunities to improve his skills, explore his talents, and find new passions. During his time here, every boy is supported as he discovers both his responsibility to others and his purpose in the world.

Mission Statements

List of 3 items.

Open Admission Policy

University School operates an open admission policy in the belief that the optimum educational environment is one that is as broad and representative of American society as is practical for an independent college preparatory school. Decisions on acceptance are based on personal and intellectual criteria without regard for race, religion or place of national origin.
Pembroke Society Mission

The Pembroke Society and Junior Pembroke Society are cultural awareness organizations for the African-American student body of University School. They were originally formed to provide a forum for minority students to speak openly about the joys and challenges of their experience as students of color at US. The organization is also committed to planning and promoting activities of interest and educational benefit that will further understanding and appreciation for African-American culture.
Creating Connections Mission

A US Parents’ Association group that works to promote a multicultural learning community by providing a formal networking opportunity for parents committed to creating and sustaining the US community and by creating a parent group grounded in a universal understanding and knowledge of diversity and multiculturalism.