Diversity & Belonging

Learn how race, gender, sexuality, culture, and power continue to shape our world and the lived experience of marginalized groups. We offer a variety of interdisciplinary programs including African American Studies, Asian Studies, Gender & Queer Studies, International Political Economy, Latin American Studies, and Latina/o Studies.

Connect with like-minded peers and work together to advance causes you care about. Student groups have successfully led campus-wide efforts to switch to fair-trade coffee in our dining facilities, launch a food justice initiative, and improve childhood literacy in the community. In addition, identity-based student organizations celebrate a shared heritage or common vision.

Three out of four Loggers volunteer in the community. You can join them and make a difference right here in Tacoma by working with local organizations and nonprofits to contribute to causes that matter from environmental justice to reproductive rights.

We are a part of a global community. In addition to bringing international students and scholars to Puget Sound to enrich our campus life, we also offer study abroad opportunities all around the world, providing you the impactful experience of immersing yourself in another culture.

Your culture, race, ethnicity, spiritual or religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, abilities and other identities contribute to your own unique sense of self and place. Our Office of Intercultural Engagement can help you advocate for self-discovery and awareness, provide space for reflection, foster an understanding of our differences, and become a part of collective action toward inclusion.

As part of your Puget Sound education, you’ll develop critical thinking and become active participants in creating a more inclusive and equitable world. We require all students to fulfill the Knowledge, Identity, and Power (KNOW) requirement to graduate through courses that examine how the power dynamics and diverse identities and experiences shape our society in subtle and profound ways.

We honor the wide range of religious and spiritual expressions embodied in our campus community. The University Chaplaincy can help you create meaning during your time at Puget Sound in an explicitly affirming and inclusive space with specific commitments to LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, immigrants, and refugees.

A disability, visible or invisible, shouldn’t stand in the way of your education. We’re committed to removing obstacles for students to be full participants in campus life and implementing universal design to make Puget Sound more accessible for everyone.

The Race and Pedagogy Institute educates teachers and students in thinking critically about race and work to eliminate systemic racism in education. In addition to regular campus-wide events, the Race and Pedagogy National Conference hosts a national conference every four years.

Every year, student leaders participate in a full-day training to improve their understanding of multiculturalism on campus and foster the development of an inclusive learning and living environment. Students learn about diversity, deconstruct their privilege, and are inspired by trailblazers in social justice and equity.