About the Office of Diversity

In 1991, the Board of Trustees approved the creation of the Office of Ethnic Diversity (OED). This office was established to serve the needs of students of color and to increase diversity of the Otterbein College community.

Under the direction of Darryl Peal (1991-2001) and Angela L. Harris (2001-2008), the OED was at the forefront of creating change on the Otterbein College campus. With programs such as DESIRE, Black Baccalaureate, and Shades of Successs; and the creation of The William Heanry Fouse House of Black Culture; and organizations such as Sisters United and HOLA (Heritage of Latino Americans), the OED has worked diligently to support sutdents of color.

As the needs and expectations of what it means to be a diverse community have changed, so has the OED. The name has been change to the Office of Diversity and while a primary focus remains on supporting our students of color, more attention will be paid to other campus diversity initiatives such as sexual orientation, disability, gender, socio-economic backgrounds, and religion.

"As the new director, I am looking for ways to engage the Otterbein College community in an on-going discussion of diversity to create greater opportunities, insights, and challenges helping to meet the mission of Otterbein College to educate the whole person in a context that fosters the development of humane values," says Director Dr. Lisa Patterson Phillips.