Edgewood College: Embracing Diversity and Fostering Inclusion
You Belong Here
At Edgewood College, guided by our Sinsinawa Dominican heritage, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive campus culture that values learning, respect, and the search for truth. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion permeates every aspect of campus life. As a community, we stand against acts of discrimination, intolerance, and hate, and expect our community to actively contribute to creating a just and compassionate world. Grounded in our Catholic identity, we prioritize human dignity, the common good, and equality, as reflected in our core values and Catholic Social Teaching. Through study, reflection, and action, we aspire to ensure diversity and inclusion are practiced and experienced daily. The success of our mission hinges on Edgewood College being a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning community, welcoming the richness of the world’s cultures and celebrating the beauty of humanity.
Advancing Our Commitment to a More Inclusive World
Our mission as a Dominican Catholic institution of higher education calls us to the intentional pursuit of justice. We commit to doing the challenging work of building an inclusive learning community, ensuring students, faculty and staff from underrepresented and historically marginalized populations are present, fully included, and successful. We demonstrate a culture of inclusion by making sure that issues of and actions toward inclusion are central to every aspect of our daily work and by cultivating an environment where all faculty, staff, and students apply the awareness, knowledge, and skills to live and work effectively with individuals across the rich spectrum of diversity. We also recognize our role in setting an example to further advance ongoing efforts toward realizing diversity and inclusion achievements. We strive to recognize, respect, and support the intersections of diverse identities as critical points of strength, learning, and growth.
Celebrating Edgewood Alumni – Champions of Diversity and Inclusion
Anu Ebbe, Ed.D. ’11
Dr. Ebbe joined the MMSD Associate Superintendent team in 2022. Over the years, Dr. Ebbe has led school teams in identifying and addressing the root causes of educational disparities and learning gaps by ensuring resources (such as budget and staffing, culture and climate, and instruction) are being fully aligned with the equity, vision and mission of the school. As a result, Dr. Ebbe and her teams have been recognized for this work with the National Blue Ribbon Award for Exceptionally High Academic Achievement, the National Welcoming Schools Seal of Excellence, and an equity award from the United Nations.
Dr. Ebbe earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Edgewood College in 2011. She is grateful for the knowledge she gained from her experience as a doctoral student and, to this day, she uses what she has learned to design strategies that result in high outcomes for students, regardless of their demographics. She also serves as a Board member for Harvard University’s “The Principal Center” in the development of principal professional learning. Dr. Ebbe is a board member for the Dane County Boys and Girls Club’s McKenzie Regional Workforce Center which is committed to supporting youth in pursuing technical education.
Natasha Sichula Fitzgerald ‘20
Natasha Sichula came to Edgewood College from her home country of Zambia and graduated in 2020. She has left a lasting impact that will reverberate on campus for years to come.
Natasha singlehandedly founded HERZ, a nonprofit organization for adolescent girls that encompasses Mentorship, Scholarship, and Innovation to eradicate period poverty in developing economies. She has organized fundraising initiatives and partnered with other organizations that focus on providing feminine hygiene products to make/donate reusable sanitary pads to young women in Zambia.
Natasha was a POHER Scholar. The POHER Scholars program is a formal mentorship program that aims to: Assist with developing short-term and long-term goals, personal and professional development, provide support towards trainees as they go through college, university, medical school and early career development.
Land Recognition
We recognize the sacred land upon which Edgewood College exists. Our Dominican heritage, educational mission, and core values call us to be stewards of this land and the Native mounds located throughout our campus. We respectfully acknowledge our local First Nation, the Ho-Chunk, and the additional 11 Indigenous Nations of Wisconsin that have shaped our state’s history and our local community.
Contact Us
To learn more about Edgewood College’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, please contact the Office of Diversity & Inclusion. General inquiries can be directed to (608) 663-3274 or by emailing mvi@edgewood.edu
rsims@edgewood.edu
jholland@edgewood.edu