Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Kresge Auditorium stage, bearing the inscription "Dedicated to the promotion of world friendship through the universal language of the arts."

We will embrace four key pillars in leading the diversity, equity, and inclusion work at Interlochen. These pillars will serve as a foundation for critical dialogues and deep engagement with topics that are uncomfortable but necessary to develop a culture of belonging on our campus.

Education

As a destination for young artists, Interlochen is poised to cultivate artists whose impact will change the world. Our curriculum and educational programming provides students with resources to address inequalities in the arts world and beyond and to participate in civic engagement.

Vulnerability

As a community, we will challenge ourselves to lean into our discomfort; and be “vulnerable and transparent” in activating campus-wide change.

Transparency

As an incubator for worldwide friendship, we will acknowledge our blind spots and use these discussions to address and dismantle the walls of our differences.

Accountability

As a community, we will remain vigilant and acknowledge that the journey towards creating an inclusive campus takes time. There will be bumps in the road, but we will travel this journey together. We will hold ourselves accountable with the understanding that if one of our community members is impacted, we are all impacted.

The end result is transformation

Through educating ourselves, engaging in transparent and vulnerable conversations, and holding ourselves accountable, we can transform Interlochen and the world. This is a slow and intentional and inclusive process that will require the work of students, faculty, staff and administrators.

Recent Programs and Initiatives

The following is a list of Programs and Initiatives that have occurred so far:

Conversation with Education Personnel about the Black at Interlochen movement
Conversation and Meeting with International Families
African Drum Circle and Beyoncé
Community Meeting on Xenophobia
Launch of the student affinity groups
A Conversation with Black Alumni about DEI at Interlochen
A Conversation with all Arts Academy Alumni about DEI at Interlochen
Unconscious bias training for all hiring managers
Celebration of Indigenous Art
Campus-wide common read and programming: Just Mercy
Celebration of Lunar New Year

Curriculum Advisory Committee

In accordance with The Interlochen 5, as well as our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, we support an inclusive learning environment where diverse perspectives are recognized, respected, and seen as a source of strength. We embrace moving toward transformation through education, vulnerability, transparency and accountability.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Curriculum Advisory Committee along with the larger student, faculty and staff at Interlochen will address diversity considerations for course design and student engagement. We encourage the notion of an intellectual community enriched and enhanced by diversity through curriculum both in and out of classrooms along a number of dimensions, including race, ethnicity and national origins, gender and gender identity, sexuality, socio-economic class, age, religion, and disability. We are especially committed to increasing the representation in our curriculum of those populations that have been historically excluded.