Statement from Hilbert College President Michael Brophy and the Hilbert College Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

We strive to uphold the Franciscan values of our founders, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, by advocating for a more just and compassionate global society. We continuously strive to foster an environment of inclusivity and unequivocal acceptance of the dignity of every person.

All of us at Hilbert College join the millions who have spoken out against societal injustice and we share in our nation’s outrage.  We extend our deepest sympathies to the families grieving these senseless acts of racial violence.

We also express outrage at these racially-based injustices that continue to occur across our nation. Hilbert College is committed to preparing students to serve and strengthen our communities, particularly among those entering the field of criminal justice and we have a responsibility to condemn these incidences in the strongest terms possible. Hilbert College emphatically stands against intolerance and violence against communities of color. 

Hilbert’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion is charged with developing a strategic plan to advance inclusive excellence on campus, which include steps to increase the diversity of our community and streamlining our bias reporting system. We are also working to actively examine how we, at Hilbert, can have meaningful discourse as a community about our pain, outrage, and passionate stance for solidarity.  We are striving to provide more educational opportunities for all of our campus community members to better understand and serve those from racially underrepresented groups. 

To truly abide by our values of respect, integrity, compassion, and peace, it is essential that all community members acknowledge their role in the necessary work needed to overcome the problems associated with centuries of racial injustice. Hilbert’s mission to honor intellectual inquiry, freedom of thought, and lifelong learning calls us to do this work, for ourselves, for our community, for our country.  

We call upon the Hilbert College community to demand justice through peaceful activism, to work together to end systemic racism, and to foster communities—local, national, and global—that are true to our Franciscan values.

Our vision statement underscores this commitment:

We celebrate the richness that comes from a diverse campus of individuals from many faiths and cultures. We emphasize the importance of service to our community, and we endeavor to be a voice for social justice in the world.

Please join us as we pray for our nation.

Statement from Criminal Justice Studies Division

Statement from Arts & Sciences Division