Roderick J. Gilbert
Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Welcome to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion!
"Penn Vet is committed to diversity and inclusion in higher education and the profession of veterinarian medicine. We recognize the importance of creating a culture that values and celebrates diversity in order to promote excellence in teaching and learning. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and respected so that they can reach their full potential. We are committed to increasing access to higher education for traditionally underrepresented groups and providing resources for our students and faculty so that they can succeed in their academic pursuits."
Our Commitment
At Penn Vet we are committed to diversity and inclusivity. In our admissions policy we seek to create a population that is diverse in every imaginable way — gender, ethnicity, race, culture, religion, class, background, age — one that reflects the populations we serve.
Understanding and appreciating diversity is a priority, both at our school and in the veterinary profession itself. It is fundamental to success in today's world. We seek to increase awareness, respect, and sensitivity to all differences among individuals.
Diversity is our mission as educators, too. True learning comes, in part, from learning to be different together. Students arrive at Penn Vet from numerous, diverse regions. After they graduate, they head off to different communities. All need to thrive in an inclusive environment.
Besides providing our students with a first-class veterinary education, we at Penn Vet have an obligation to educate them in issues pertaining to a diverse society. Our approach is to lead by example, providing students with tools to overcome diversity issues in the veterinary profession. Just as we, as educators, are invested in the principle of One Health, we also believe in one world. One that contains all of us. Different together.