Office of Social Justice and Activism
Welcome to Otterbein’s Office of Social Justice and Activism (OSJA).
Media Gallery
OTTERBEIN TRHT VIDEO SUBMISSION
All Are Welcome at Otterbein
WE ARE committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity
Truth, Racial Healing, & Transformation
🤝 WE ARE committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity
Equity and inclusion are an ongoing pursuit. There are milestones and commitments in Otterbein’s history that make us proud of our long-standing position of inclusiveness.
We also believe we should expect more of ourselves as a community, as individuals and an institution — always. The work, the need for understanding and respect — it’s never done. So at Otterbein, we believe we’re better if we learn and grow together to address the issues.
Bottom line? You belong here. Period. You can stand out, but you’ll never stand alone.
DEI Student Experiences
Our graduating seniors gave Otterbein the highest marks in the Spring 2020 "National Survey of Student Engagement" (NSSE) among peer institutions for:
A place to Belong: With the highest marks, seniors recognized Otterbein’s commitment to diversity, its efforts to create a sense of community among students and its supportive environment for those of diverse racial, gender and economic identities.
Discussions with Diverse Others: Diversity and inclusion are more than just words here. Student engage with students from different races, economic backgrounds, religions and political beliefs.
Nurturing Educational Success & Transitions (NEST): Otterbein’s NEST program is designed to ease the transition of first-year students that identify as first generation, transfer, and/or students of color, so that they may succeed personally, socially and academically. The program helps each new student connect with other peers, a mentor, and ultimately, the institution as a whole.
Otterbein students have more than 100 different student organizations and ways to get involved on campus to make a difference. Some of the Otterbein student organizations that celebrate diversity in many of its forms include:
- African-American Student Union (AASU)
- FreeZone! (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Allies Organization)
- Heritage of Latino Americans (HOLA)
- International Students Association (ISA)
- Iota Iota Iota
- kate (feminist publication)
- Men of Vision
- Muslim Student Association
- Otterbein Christian Fellowship
- Otterbein Deaf Culture Club
- Religious & Spiritual Life Council
- Society of Women Engineers
- Team Consent / SafeZone
- Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equality (URGE)
- Tau Delta, the university’s first official gender-neutral sorority
Otterbein was selected by the Association of American Colleges & Universities as one of the first 23 universities to serve as a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center across the United States.
Otterbein is working with its own campus community as well as the Columbus City and Westerville City school districts to create positive narrative change about race; promote racial healing activities; and erase structural barriers to equal treatment and opportunity. Otterbein believes a deliberate, systematic and public effort of inclusion and healing is possible when everyone works together.
🌅 Truth, Racial Healing, & Transformation
Otterbein was selected by the Association of American Colleges & Universities as one of the first 23 universities to serve as a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center across the United States.
Otterbein is working with its own campus community as well as the Columbus City and Westerville City school districts to create positive narrative change about race; promote racial healing activities; and erase structural barriers to equal treatment and opportunity. Otterbein believes a deliberate, systematic and public effort of inclusion and healing is possible when everyone works together.
Campus Map
