An Interview with Browning Leadership About DEIB Messaging with Enrollment
An Interview
with Browning Leadership
Browning’s Enrollment Management Association (EMA) presentation about why DEIB must be wrapped in the admissions process…
Our presentation was called No Surprises: Using DEIB Messaging to Enroll and Retain Right Fit Families. Our goal was to have our colleagues understand that every part of the admission, enrollment and communication efforts should reflect their school's commitment to equitable practices, and that they need to make families aware of this. A family shouldn't be surprised about a school's commitment to DEIB, and schools should know families' understanding about, and interest in, the ways in which DEIB initiatives affect a school that they are looking at for their child.
Why must DEIB(J) be part of the admission funnel?
Being committed to equity when it comes to enrolling students is first and foremost, the right thing to do, and in line with all independent schools' missions. We should all be looking for students who would thrive at our schools, knowing that they will come from a variety of backgrounds. This diversity makes a school stronger, and makes the experience that children will have in our classrooms richer. When we look at practices that might make the experience of admission more equitable — for example, not requiring multiple trips to school in order to fulfill aspects of the process — we recognize that reimagining these practices actually makes the admission process more efficient for everyone.
How families can identify a school's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging…
Applying families should pay close attention to how the school talks about its DEIB efforts. Does it seem to be separate from the work of the school, or can you see and hear about how equity is infused in the curriculum, the school's practices around financial support or even how schools talk about their geographic reach or composition of their families. You might also note, for example, the holidays on the school calendar, or look at a school's social feed to see how it recognizes (or doesn't) heritage months or other holidays that are important to marginalized communities.
Where peer schools are with integrating DEIB and Admissions…
We can honestly say that our peers are quite committed to equity in their admission processes—admission and enrollment professionals understand the importance of it to their work. Given that EMA is a global organization, this may look different in different places, and all of us are on a journey toward a deeper understanding of how to make the independent school experience a more equitable one. No school is perfect, and none should rest on their laurels, but we think most peers strive to get better day by day.
Thank you, Kelly West, I-Ming Janetta Lien, and Jan Abernathy!