In the spirit of our mission, vision, and values, we honor and foster a sense of belonging, embracing the unique identities, backgrounds, and qualities of
our students, faculty, and staff members. At the heart of our philosophy is a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- We cultivate diversity, which describes the distinct attributes and identities that each person brings to the community—including, but not limited to, individual life experiences, race or ethnicity, religious or faith
tradition, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socioeconomic circumstances.
- We are an inclusive community that welcomes individuals from all walks of life and validates their uniqueness. We strive to connect and learn from one another so that we as a university can understand and foster mutual humility with
those with whom we engage.
- Finally, we work towards equity, continuously seeking to provide access to and opportunities for all as they participate in educational, social, and spiritual programs and activities. In striving for equity, we make every effort
to close historical gaps in academic success and achievement.
This commitment is the bedrock for all of Bellarmine’s policies and principles: our administration of educational guidelines; human resources policies and practices; scholarships and other financial aid opportunities; athletics and other curricular
and extracurricular programs, clubs, and activities; and interactions with local, state, regional and national entities.
Reaffirming Thomas Merton’s inclusive spirit and our values of Academic Excellence, Intrinsic Dignity, Social Responsibility, Integrity, Hospitality, and Stewardship, we must foster critical dialogues, informed collaborative engagement, and transformative
teaching. We believe that advancing equity and creating a diverse and inclusive academic environment in the reflection of the City of Louisville requires open minds, wisdom, and inspiration.