A Community of Practice Where Everyone Belongs 

Waubonsee is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and our deliberate participation in these types of programs and events helps us to fulfill our mission of providing education and training services to all members of our community.  We are intentional about creating a college culture where our differences are celebrated, honored, and where people can belong. 

DEI is not a theory, it’s an everyday community of practice at Waubonsee where we intentionally:

  1. Hold space for each other to find a sense of belonging 
  2. Prioritize listening to each other’s stories, experiences, and histories
  3. Create room to learn and grow from one another

At Waubonsee, we have defined these three related but different terms as:

Diversity

is an intentional appreciation of differences expressed in countless forms, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, (dis)ability status and political perspective.

Inclusion

is the intentional commitment to being a college where individual differences are welcomed, honored, and respectfully heard, and where all individuals feel a sense of belonging at Waubonsee.

Equity

is the practice of intentionally working to ensure that individual or social circumstances are not obstacles to achieving one’s potential. This is reflected through our policies and processes at the college which acknowledge the need to actively remove barriers and create opportunities for success for each individual within the Waubonsee community.

Meet the Staff

Marleigha Evans

Dr. Marleigha Evans

Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator

Marleigha Evans earned her doctorate at the University of Southern Mississippi in Higher Education Administration. Growing up in the hospitality state, Mississippi, Marleigha has always had a passion for helping others. In terms of helping others, Marleigha believes education is the perfect avenue. Malcolm X once stated, "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today," and Marleigha desires to help others prepare for their futures. At Waubonsee, Marleigha currently serves as the Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator. In her free time, Marleigha enjoys getting back to her Southern roots by cooking homemade meals for her family and friends and practicing self-care.