Diversity and Belonging

Diversity and Belonging: Intentionally Fostering a Flourishing Christian Community

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As a Christian, liberal arts university of Wesleyan and Nazarene heritage, we are committed to whole-person education within a Christ-centered community and helping students fully become who they are called to be. At PLNU, we invite every member of our community—students, faculty, and staff, to actively participate in the creation of a flourishing Christian community, one that is shaped by the Hebrew concept of shalom.

This vision of wholeness is built on right relationships with God and one another, and it calls each of us to contribute in unique and meaningful ways.

Our university mission sets PLNU apart from many approaches to diversity and belonging, both in its foundation and its aim. The foundation is Christ, and the aim is to reflect the richness of the body of Christ in our everyday lives—a body composed of individuals from “every nation, tribe, people and language.”1

This picture of the Kingdom of God from the Scriptures is a vision of who we will ultimately be and a calling towards which we strive today as we live out what it means to be part of a global Christian community. As members of our increasingly diverse PLNU community, our unique backgrounds, experiences, and gifts are essential to the collective flourishing of our university. Together, we reflect the richness of the body of Christ and create a space where everyone can thrive.

Living out this vision begins with a shared understanding and embracing of its origin and purpose. Learning about the Biblical, Wesleyan-Holiness and Nazarene calling to be a community that intentionally seeks to be diverse and flourishing grounds our understanding of the vision within our Christian faith. In addition, education regarding how this vision enhances our university mission helps to root it in a purpose larger than itself—it allows us to become what our mission statement calls a vital Christian community.

The vision is also lived out through equipping and enacting. By providing tools and resources, we empower members of our diverse PLNU community to engage in right relationships, contributing in ways that build up one another and the community. 

Our institutional policies, procedures, and practices are also designed to support this flourishing community—but they are not static. Every member has a role in helping shape these structures, ensuring they continue to reflect our shared values and mission.

 1 Revelation 7:9, NIV

Kareen Boyadjian shares about her experiences of support, encouragement, and personal growth in an inspiring letter to PLNU.
Student-veteran Jerome Brown shares how PLNU’s supportive education helped him navigate life after service, and the indispensable value military students bring to the PLNU community.
Four PLNU students share about the unparalleled experiences of community and belonging within faith-based higher education.
A student making her college decision prayerfully considers what she wants out of her higher education experience — and discovers how PLNU fits with her goals.
Professor Nicole Cosby shares how her faith journey and passion for teaching impact her work and the lives of those she gets to connect with throughout the day.

 

Diversity and Belonging - Intentionally Fostering a Flourishing Christian Community

Vision for the Work

  • Equip: Equip students, faculty, staff, and administration with the tools and resources needed for practicing a community of diversity and belonging.
  • Embrace: Help the community embrace the institutional vision for diversity and belonging.
  • Enact: Enact the plan for living out diversity & belonging through our people, policies, procedures, and practices.
  • Expand: Expand the diversity of the PLNU community and its ability to live out its values of diversity and belonging.