DEI in the Workplace
Diversity, equity and inclusion training and education from the University of Kansas
Diversity, equity, and inclusion – or DEI in today's organizational parlance – may have been business buzzwords that generated little more than mandatory compliance training in years past. But DEI education is now at the forefront of employers' strategy because of the inestimable value an inclusive organizational culture can deliver.
The University of Kansas Lifelong & Professional Education understands there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to DEI education. Some organizations may be in the early stages of understanding what DEI really represents. Others may be building on an existing foundation of understanding that will enable them to create a best-in-class belonging culture.
KU will meet you where you are. Our flexible training programs range from fundamental to advanced. They can be delivered directly to your team in any number of ways. They can range from a few hours to several days and can speak to different audiences from "all hands" to executive leadership teams.
KU also offers 90-day follow-ups after training occurs to make certain that the principles of understanding and sensitivity are taking root in your organization.
DEI Encompasses Several Topics
DEI is not about just one thing. Diversity, equity, and inclusion topics encompass racial issues, gender biases, sexual orientation and gender identity, ageism, and much more. KU works with you to determine which areas of DEI will have the greatest impact on your organization. KU's DEI training combines the latest in research on DEI topics along with real-world, day-to-day application approaches so that you can use what you learn immediately.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are interwoven principles, and KU's trainers treat them as mutually reinforcing ideas to generate the deepest learning and behavior change.
KU can deliver your organization DEI training focusing on issues related to
Racial equity
Social justice
Gender diversity
Sexual orientation
Age and generation
Gender bias
These issues can affect numerous organizational functions and KU's training can apply them to key areas, such as
Organizational policies, communications and culture
Hiring, promotion and termination
Team dynamics and interpersonal relations
Individual and team performance and productivity
Workforce engagement and retention
KU's Approach: Flexibility and Application
KU can provide in-person instructor-led training, virtual instructor-led training and turnkey delivery solutions, if desired. No matter which delivery approach you choose, KU emphasizes real-world application of learning. KU's mantra is "Know it, Use it."
KU's live, in-classroom instruction departs from the conventional lecture formats to include flipped learning (which involves individual pre-work and live group problem-solving). Every learning module is designed with busy professionals in mind. Bite-sized content, interactive/action learning applications, and quick proofs of students' understanding of new knowledge are fundamental principles of design.
KU's virtual instruction features pioneering techniques from our Center for Online and Distance Learning. Self-directed virtual participants experience rich learning through easily navigable modules and instant assessments and demonstrations of knowledge acquired. KU delivers to students around the world entire online degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students rate these programs highly, and they maintain the rigor required of accrediting bodies and KU's own standards.
KU provides evidence-based education. KU designs learning assessments to ensure identified objectives are met and critical competency development occurs among participants. Assessments may take the form of quizzes, oral responses to instructor-led queries, the creation of concept maps and the development of e-portfolios to demonstrate learned competencies. Collaborative, shared learning could include structured presentations by program participants to their colleagues.
On-demand DEI webinar from KU
Complete the form below to access the recorded webinar on DEI in the workplace, featuring Jill Meriweather and Lee Stuart.
KU's Portfolio of DEI Expert Instructors
Angie manages the Professional Workplace Communication Graduate Certificate program at the KU-Edwards campus. Her teaching and research interests center on organizational culture and communication practices, membership negotiation, and organizational change. She teaches graduate courses in organizational communication, covering topics such as change management, decision making, conflict management, professional writing and speaking skills, organizational culture, team development, and engaging workplace diversity. Prior to joining the KU faculty in 2015, Angie worked for more than 10 years developing and delivering training programs and communication resources for global companies including Siemens Healthcare and Deloitte.
Jill Meriweather has had a passion for racial equity for as long as she can remember. Although she went to a kindergarten where she saw her identity reflected in her teachers and peers, it was an experience she would not have again until college. Her formal analysis of the impacts of race began while writing her undergraduate thesis – a comparative analysis of post-segregation education policy in Stellenbosch, South Africa and Kansas City, Missouri. Jill has worked as an early childhood education teacher, a coach, district coordinator, and in systems-level education. Throughout her career, she has facilitated racial equity training for new and veteran teachers, coached building level equity teams, created professional development opportunities to further advance equity goals, and supported organizational goals around diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environments. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Harvard, her Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, her Graduate Certificate in Administration and Supervision from Johns Hopkins University and consults through the Meriweather Group.
Lee is the Leadership Programs Manager at KU. After three previous careers - as a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper journalist, a senior leader of innovative product and new business development initiatives with Hallmark Cards, and 12 years as president of a boutique leadership and management consulting firm – Lee joined the University of Kansas as Leadership Programs manager. He brings experience in adult learning, disruptive innovation, organizational effectiveness, strategic business planning, public speaking and executive coaching.
His 30 years' experience as an executive leader has crossed boundaries among the profit, not-for-profit and public sectors. He is a frequent speaker on leadership, management, ageism and multi-generational communications topics, and Lee is an annual expert panelist for leadership presentations at the United States Army Command and General Staff College where he assists the nation's best and brightest toward the fulfillment of their potential. In the past 17 years, Lee (a certified executive coach with the Newfield Network) has worked one-on-one with more than 350 organizational leaders to assist them in the creation and realization of individual Leadership Development Plans. Lee’s doctorate degree is in Leadership Studies.
Scott is an American actor, writer, producer, and speaker. Considered one of his generation's trailblazers in the movement for transgender liberation—openly trans since 2000—Scott has supported leaders in changing the nondiscrimination policies of several major universities, and coached CEOs at Fortune 500 companies to trans inclusivity in the workplace for nearly two decades. His contributions span industries and applications, exchanging expertise with policy makers to enhance inclusion from the City of Santa Monica to UPS, keeping people feeling welcome and safe from locker rooms at the YMCA to swiping through Tinder.
He is also a professional storyteller—an Emmy nominated actor, Lambda Literary Award finalist, and independent producer with Tribeca laurels—whose work on screen and being the scenes is evolving transgender representation in mainstream entertainment. Whether on a storyboard or in a Board room, Scott's mission is to update the script of transgender inclusion.
The Social Justice Collective (SJC) at the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (KU CPPR) cultivates spaces where organizations can engage, discuss, and think critically about issues of social equity and justice. Providing a targeted engagement framework, SJC supports organizations as they discover ways to infuse their work with social justice principles, fostering the development of an equitable and inclusive community. Learn more about members of the CPPR team below.
Ithar Hassaballa contributes to improving conditions for the health and well-being of populations. Ithar obtained a doctoral degree in Behavioral Psychology [Community Health & Development] from the University of Kansas, and a master's degree in Public Health from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2017. Ithar has more than ten years of experience engaging populations in the decision-making process related to their own health through community interventions, participatory evaluation, and technical assistance/consultation. Ithar has focused on health equity for populations in the U.S., Africa, and the Middle East.
Jenny Flinders, MSEd, is a Research Project Manager at the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships & Research (CPPR), and has supported community-based participatory projects centered on community voice and choice for the past five years. She has had the honor to work with indigenous communities on cultural, historical, and language revitalization efforts that align with early childhood, community health, and intergenerational wellbeing. She is completing her PhD in Education Leadership and Policy with research interests in indigenous education policy, historical trauma, and reconciliation in the education system.
Jevan Bremby is a Research Project Coordinator at the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research. He has worked alongside local, state, and national organizations in the areas of early childhood development, youth advocacy, housing justice, food justice, and social equity. His skills range from adaptive facilitation and strategic communications to systems analysis and web design. He is working toward his doctorate in behavioral psychology from the University of Kansas, where his research interests include behavioral systems analysis and design; equitable evaluation; ethics and leadership, community health promotion, critical race theory, early childhood development; and youth advocacy.
KU DEI Courses
KU will partner with your organization to deliver custom training to fulfill your needs. Our learning and development team will work with your organization to determine the best fit for subject matter, delivery format, duration of training, assessments of learning and price. Contact us to discuss your situation and goals to receive a training program proposal.