Celebrating our diversity: creating an inclusive climate in a US university

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insight and reflections on the experience of initiating a diversity effort from the perspective of members of a university change team. The process, challenges, and recommendations for institutions that may embark on a formal initiative towards becoming a more inclusive and equitable community are discussed. Design/methodology/approach – The multicultural organizational development (MCOD) model is operationalized at this university. MCOD is a long‐term, complex, organizational change process that aims at reducing oppression that exists in institutions through a fundamental transformation of the culture. Findings – Based on the findings of the assessment, the results indicate that the university climate is trending in a positive direction. However, a gap exists between where the university aspires to be, as a multicultural campus, and the stage it is currently in with respect to four social identity areas: race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. Practical implications – Recommendations for helping with a successful implementation of an organizational change initiative and assisting institutions to navigate through the process more effectively are provided. Social implications – This paper provides an approachable, data‐driven, evidence‐based process for colleges and universities to consider to implement and measure their diversity efforts. Originality/value – This paper draws from the unique experience of members of a change team and the utilization of the MCOD model in a faith‐based university setting, and highlights the process and the challenges that many institutions still face while implementing a diversity change effort.