CCD Celebrates Diversity
At Community College of Denver (CCD), we believe that by working together, we become stronger; through college-wide collaboration, we can achieve our collective vision and goals. We work to maintain an environment where all feel respected, valued and supported. CCD is proud to celebrate the diversity we have within our community.
Diversity challenges stereotyped preconceptions; it encourages critical thinking, and it helps students learn to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. CCD has a long-standing history of being one of the most diverse colleges in Colorado. In 2001, CCD was designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. Currently, more than 30 percent of our student population is Latinx, more than 50 percent self-identify as underrepresented, and our international students represent more than 40 nations. Additionally, more than 60 percent are first-generation students. View our student population and statistics here*.
The Inclusive Excellence Leadership Team advocates for inclusion, equity, and academic excellence in order to create an environment where all voices are welcomed and heard, and to empower and celebrate all students, faculty, staff, and affiliates. By challenging systemic inequities, building more robust support systems and resources, implementing ongoing training and professional development opportunities, and embracing open-mindedness at Community College of Denver, we commit to cultivating and enriching our community through increased accountability and civic engagement.
Our 2025 CCD Strategic Plan reflects this commitment that diversity & inclusion will be embedded in every aspect of work at the college in an effort to reach equity for students, faculty, and staff. Specifically, the Strategic Plan outlines our Equity Goals – to Close the Achievement Gap and Improve Campus Climate. The Executive Staff launched the Inclusive Excellence Leadership Team (IELT) in 2019 to lead and guide our equity efforts with the full support of the Executive Staff and Presidents Cabinet. The Equity initiative is designed to guide the college’s work to ensure our culture and operations reflect progressive philosophies around equity and incorporate the experience and knowledge of our diverse employee and student community. The objectives are designed to make us a more welcoming and inclusive campus, where members of our diverse population feel valued, and where quality is embedded in every aspect of our work so that all students have equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their identities.
We recognize that as we advance in this work, the scope will become more clearly defined. We understand the work to become a more inclusive and equitable college is of paramount importance; however, the college cannot do everything “first”. These initiatives will not be carried out solely by the college’s IELT. It is not an approval body; rather, it is a leadership body to help facilitate the work of allies and others across the college to develop a network of equity and inclusion champions while we embed deeper equity and quality in all of our operations. Our goal is to adopt the Inclusive Excellence Framework as CCD's equity model to transform CCD in a manner that improves quality and creates a sense of belonging for students, faculty and staff.
Current Members:
- Jamal Bowen – Instructor, Business
- Sean Creedon – Student Conduct Educator and Care Case Manager
- Shana Stovall – Interim Executive Director of Human Resources
- John O’Leary – Faculty, English
- Amanda O’Sullivan – Instructor, English
- Ruthanne Orihuela – Provost
- Tanika Vaughn – Advising Operations Manager
- Lorraine Seals-Williams – SGA President
Please reach out to IELT using the group email: IELT@CCD.edu
Recent Messages from IELT:
A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is a term used for a federal program designed to support a college or university in the United States that is eligible and has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.
CCD was designated HSI by the U.S. Department of Education in 2001. The college earned this distinction because more than 30 percent of our students currently self-identify as Hispanic/Latinx. The benefits of this designation include eligibility for federal funds and grants that benefit our entire student population such as additional accelerated courses, computer labs, academic advisors, and other support services.