About Us

Equity & Social Impact

Finding your voice is a process that requires meaningful collaboration and empathy within a community.

Drew's inclusive community is made up of diverse people and allows every single person to show up and be their authentic selves. Equity and social impact work at Drew fosters an environment in which equity and respect for others are core and where you can show up without concern of prejudice.

The goal of equity and social impact work at Drew is:
  • To allow students to learn about themselves as multifaceted individuals.
  • To learn about and how to respect the differences and similarities of others.
  • To be able to broaden awareness about the world and how it interconnects with one's own life.
  • To develop cultural competency.
  • To build a community of trust, honesty, openness, dialogue, and respect here at Drew.

List of 1 members.

  • Photo of Alain Sykes

    Dr. Alain Sykes 

    Dean of Equity and Social Impact
    415.409.3739 x3763

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

In order to allow for our mission to empower student voice and maximize impact, the Drew community is committed to equity, representation, and social justice* that is grounded in a community of care. We bring these values to life through curriculum and programs that promote respect and belonging.** Drew’s approach reflects our belief that social justice work is grounded in appreciation for, expression of, and attention to each person’s intersecting identities. 
 
By creating an inclusive environment without tolerance of discrimination, Drew provides the opportunity for continuous challenge and growth. We hold ourselves accountable to these values through our policies and practices.

*Social Justice: A process, not an outcome, which (1) seeks fair (re)distribution of resources, opportunities, and responsibilities; (2) challenges the roots of oppression and injustice; (3) empowers all people to exercise self-determination and realize their full potential; (4) and builds social solidarity and community capacity for collaborative action.--Center for the Study of Social Policy

**Belonging: “More than just being seen or feeling included, belonging entails having a voice and the opportunity to use it to make demands upon society and political institutions. Belonging is more than having access; it is about the power to co-create the structures that shape a community.” (from “Redefining Who Belongs”--The Othering and Belonging Institute)

What do these practices look like at Drew, and how do they reflect the school’s mission?

  
The commitments in Drew’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are both aspirational and real. They are aspirational because they reflect Drew School’s very real commitments. However, we are not yet “all the way there;” we work towards these aspirations daily. Our commitments are real because our movement towards these goals is reflected in our policies and practices and is woven into our professional development. In these ways, we are consistently deepening our understanding and getting closer to our goals for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

  

List of 3 items.

  • Equity

    Courageous Conversation About Race:
    • Faculty and Staff: Over 20 hours of training and discussion about personal and professional experiences with race.
      • Small group discussions
      • Affinity group sessions.
    • Student discussions in the Courageous Conversation about Race Protocol.
    Faculty and Staff Professional Development:
    • Regular professional development focused on equity and inclusion.
    Learning Support, such as:
    • Learning Plans
    • Differentiated instruction
    • Herbst Learning Center
    Financial aid program:
    • Supports student engagement in all parts of the Drew experience.
  • Representation

    An integrated approach to mental health across the school.
    • Bring Change to Mind steering committee and club
    • Annual Mental Health Summit
    • Focus on Intersections of identity and mental health. 
    A range of forms of expression:
    • Using voice, body, language to express in a variety of ways 
    • Arts and performance: sharing one’s ideas in the broader community
    Curriculum:
    • Incorporation of content related to race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation into courses.
    Experiential Education Program:
    •  Encourages students to explore their range of interests and abilities.
  • Social Justice

    A focus on reflection:
    • Developing the understanding that every person has their own “why” that influences their engagement in the community. 
    • Encouraging authentic questions in classes
    • Affinity groups
    • Shanti Alliance
    Advisory Program:
    • Identity, Equity and Social Justice are embedded throughout the advisory curriculum. 
    • Every student is seen and heard.
    The Senior Project: 
    • Empowers students to explore their own interests while exploring a social justice issue.
    • Diversity, Identity, Justice, and Action integrated into Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings across the curriculum.

Overview

Parent Opportunities
Guest Speaker and Community Building:

Student Opportunities

Faculty and Staff Opportunities

Affinity Groups

Drew builds community by intentionally devoting space and time for students to connect with peers linked by a common background, interest, or purpose through affinity groups.

Whether it’s based on cultural and ethnic background, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion or creed, ability/disability, learning difference, age or generation, beliefs and values, or attitudes and opinions, these groups provide students space to explore and share issues of identity.

List of 8 items.

  • Asian American and Pacific Islander

    AAPI provides Drew's Asian American and Pacific Islander students a safe space to share their experiences, discuss issues related to race and identity, and explore the many different cultures of their roots in Asia and the Pacific Islands.
  • Black Student Union

    Black Student Union provides black students at Drew a safe space to be able to speak openly and honestly about the challenges they face both within the school and beyond.
  • Boys to Men

  • Drew Jew Crew

    The Drew Jew Crew celebrates and honors the rich religious, historical, and cultural traditions of Judaism. In addition to providing an affinity space for Jewish-identifying students, the Jew Crew sometimes celebrates these traditions with the entire Drew student community.
  • Gender and Sexuality Awareness

    Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) is a safe space for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities to discuss LGBTQ+ issues.
  • Latinos Unidos

    Latinos Unidos provides students with a safe space to celebrate, cultivate, and promote awareness of their Spanish-speaking cultural heritage.
  • Mixed (Multiracial) Student Union Affinity Group

  • Women's Group

    Women’s Group is a safe space for self-identified women to meaningfully engage with their individual and shared experiences.

Self-Reported Racial/Ethnic Groups 2020-2021

List of 8 items.

  • 52.3%

    White
  • 19.8%

    Latinx/Hispanic American
  • 23.3%

    Asian American
  • 26.7%

    Multiracial
  • 7%

    Black/African American
  • 2.3%

    Middle Eastern American
  • 3.5%

    Native American
  • 2.3%

    Pacific Islander American

Equity Leadership Team

List of 11 members.

  • Photo of Joanna Lovett '06

    Joanna Lovett '06 

    Director of Admissions
    415.430.3771
    University of Colorado - B.A.
    University of San Francisco - M.A.
    Year Appointed: 2015
  • Photo of Andrea Richerson

    Andrea Richerson 

    Director of Tuition Assistance | Associate Director of Admissions, Operations
    415.430.3774
    U.C. Davis - B.A.
    Year Appointed: 2018
  • Photo of Alain Sykes

    Dr. Alain Sykes 

    Dean of Equity and Social Impact
    415.409.3739 x3763
    Year Appointed: 2020
  • Photo of Andrew Heath

    Andrew Heath 

    Director of Athletics
    415.409.3739 x3750
    Manhattanville College - M.S.
    Emmanuel College - B.A.
    Year Appointed: 2019
  • Photo of Jared Green

    Jared Green 

    English Faculty
    415.409.3739 x3738
    San Francisco State University - Teacher's Credential
    University of Arizona - B.A.
    Year Appointed: 2019
  • Photo of Jennifer (Doherty) Mrozek

    Jennifer (Doherty) Mrozek 

    Learning Specialist, Tutoring Coordinator
    415.409.3739 x3715
    Year Appointed: 2022
  • Photo of Kate Halsey

    Kate Halsey 

    Dean of Students
    415.409.3739 x3709
    Year Appointed: 2023
  • Photo of Kim McCabe

    Kim McCabe 

    Director of Experiential Education
    415.409.3739 x3724
    Connecticut College - B.S.
    Lesley University - M.A.
    Harvard Graduate School of Education - M.A.
    Year Appointed: 2021
  • Photo of Luis Fernandez

    Dr. Luis Fernandez 

    Science Faculty
    415.409.3739 x3701
    Tufts University - Ph.D.
    Stanford University - MA
    University of California Davis - MA
    University of Santo Tomas - BS
    Year Appointed: 2016
  • Photo of Talia Krahling

    Talia Krahling 

    Social Studies Faculty
    415.409.3739 x3765
    Cal Poly, SLO - BA
    Teachers College, Columbia University - MA
    Year Appointed: 2020
  • Photo of Taylor Martin

    Ms. Taylor Martin 

    English Department Chair
    415.409.3739 x3784
    Stanford University - M.A.
    Stanford University - B.A.
    Year Appointed: 2016

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