Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee - University of Southern Indiana

Mission & Vision

The Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee promotes a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion in the college’s activities and endeavors. This is accomplished by teaching, training and developing materials to support research, curriculum and extracurricular activities that equip the Pott College community for living, learning and working in a diverse society.

The Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee endeavors to foster an equitable, inclusive and supportive environment so that students, faculty and staff in the college may thrive.

Two USI students work together at a lab bench. The student on the right is holding a beaker. The student on the left works with testtubes on the benchtop.

EDI in Action

Pedestrian bridge in eSwatini

This past June, five students from the University of Southern Indiana’s Engineers in Action (EIA) chapter departed for the Hhohho region of eSwatini in southern Africa to build a pedestrian footbridge to connect isolated communities to schools, hospitals and stores. The bridge, completed in six weeks, benefits over 4,800 residents in local communities, including more than 3,500 children. The bridge that had previously been used to connect the community to critical resources was often not usable for over seven months of the year due to eSwatini’s rainy season flooding and had to be rebuilt yearly after being washed away.

Refining Mobility Via Lever Operated Wheelchair

USI Engineering students Matt Dill, Logan Johnson, Marco Lara, and Zachary Wigand worked with faculty adivsor Glen Kissel on a senior design project to address mobility issues for wheelchair users.

Design of an Offroad Manual Wheelchair

USI Engineering students Alfredo Sandoval, Brooks Hartz, Chandler Weeks, and Joey Pierre worked with faculty advisor Julian Davis to address accessibility issues through design of an offroad manual wheelchair.

Multiculturalism in Engineering

In ENGR 291 (Experimental Design and Technical Writing), Dr. Susan Ely helps students identify people from diverse backgrounds that have helped to shape the field of Engineering.

Upcoming Events

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Celebration

January 20, 2025, 11 AM. Tickets required - The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Celebration features a prominent, successful African American keynote speaker and attracts a large crowd from throughout the community. Past speakers have included actors, journalists, judges, authors and Olympians, among others. The event encourages and inspires attendees to continue working for the cause of racial equality, for which Dr. King gave his life. The 2025 MLK, Jr. Celebration will feature Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry. The event is sponsored by the USI Multicultural Center and other sponsors, which vary each year.

Mandela Social Justice Day

2025 Date TBA - The annual Nelson Mandela Commemoration is a speaker series that directly addresses social justice issues that affect the local or national community. As USI expands its student population, questions of diversity will come into an even starker relief on campus, and this series aims to address some of those issues, helping to prepare students to live wisely in a diverse, global community.

USI EDIC Resources

External Resources

A teacher candidate works with a young student wearing a pink shirt and glasses. The teacher is holding a book with pictures of pandas. The student is playing with a bumble bee toy on the table. — Teacher works with young girl on motor skills. Young girl is wearing glasses and a pink shirt. She is playing with a yellow toy.

Share your EDI Work

Are you helping promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Pott College? Please share your work with us. This can include research, curriculum and extra-curricular initiatives aiding anyone in the Pott College Community. Let us know how you're helping to build a better community and world that includes all of us.

Pott College Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee