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Diversity & Inclusion
It’s equitable, inclusive, and empowering. It’s home.
Wellesley was founded on the radical idea that women have an equal right to the best education in the country. We still believe—in fact, we know from experience—that the boldest ideas, the brightest solutions, and the healthiest communities draw on a range of voices, perspectives, and experiences.
We’re dedicated to ensuring that all Wellesley students have an equal opportunity to flourish, no matter their race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, physical ability, or any other category that can be used to divide people.
All students deserve equity in how they are mentored, sponsored, supported, and empowered to experience Wellesley. We are dedicated to ensuring that each of our students is able to take advantage of Wellesley's rich learning and living environment.
—Paula A. Johnson, president of Wellesley College
A Wellesley education is 24/7 and leaves the confines of a classroom setting. We are preparing students who value the importance of inclusivity and celebrate the diversity that each member brings to campus. In the end, our students will graduate and have lives of consequence in their communities and the world.
—T. Peaches Valdes, dean of admission and financial aid
We’re diverse in many ways
The Mix
A mere sample of the brilliant variety of experiences in our community:
- Wellesley students come from all 50 states 🇺🇸, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. They hail from 87 countries of citizenship and 59 countries of residence.
- At least one language other than English is spoken in 47% percent of students’ homes; over 30 languages are spoken 💬 on campus.
- 52 percent of the class of 2023 identify as students of color ✍🏻✍🏼✍🏽✍🏾✍🏿
- Nearly 60 percent of our students receive financial aid 💵; the average annual scholarship (that does not need to be repaid) is $52,000.
- 18 percent of students in the class of 2023 will be the first generation in their families to graduate 🎓 from college.
- From rainbow 🌈 “Safe Space” stickers on office doors to out-and-proud First-Year Mentors, Wellesley offers many informal mentoring and advising resources for its LGBTQ students and their allies.
- 13 religious organizations ✝️✡️☸️☪️☯️🛐serve students from agnostic to Zoroastrian and everything in between!
- Our Elizabeth Kaiser Davis Degree Program and transfer program welcome students who have taken many different 📓 educational journeys.
Diversity Recruitment Team Outreach
Our Diversity Recruitment Team is a group of staff and students who are committed to recruiting and enrolling students from underrepresented backgrounds. They organize the travel grant program that brings bright, deserving students to campus, engage with community-based organizations and high school counselors around the country, hang out with the dozens of cultural organizations on campus, and help connect prospective and current students.
Ask a student about the ways in which the team can support you in the application process.
Oftentimes, students arrive on a college campus not fully aware of their disadvantages. That was certainly my case. I was a good student who was very excited to be the first in my family to go to college. However, I had never experienced being away from home or sitting in a classroom with people that did not look or sound like me. College was such a culture shock! The drastic change intimidated me and caused me to clam up as opposed to fully owning my presence on campus.
Finding the “right fit” involves so much more than choosing a course of study and completing an application. It’s about finding a community that makes you feel safe, challenges you to grow and celebrates your accomplishments.
Don't be afraid to ask the tough questions. After all, this is your journey and it's an important one. How will your college take care of you? Will it foster an inclusive environment? Will the community expect you to assimilate or empower you to own the space that makes you uniquely you?
—Eliana Waite, associate director of admission
As a first-generation college graduate, I've seen first-hand just how valuable community is to a student's trajectory through their undergraduate degree. While I did not graduate from Wellesley, I witness students on a daily basis finding community through different facets across campus - in the classroom, resource centers, student organizations, affinity spaces, and/or residence halls. Wellesley students gravitate towards people who raise them up and challenge them to grow.
Every day I feel honored to engage with students in the college search and application process (especially in thinking back to those who helped me along the way as well). Don't forget how much agency you have in this process - the ultimate goal is to find a college community where you are thriving as your authentic self.
—Natalie Figueroa, senior assistant director of admission
Navigating the college search as a low-income student of color, my imposter syndrome made me constantly question where (and if) I belonged. Ultimately, I was inspired to apply to Wellesley because of the diverse array of perspectives and backgrounds present on this campus. What I've found here is an incredibly vibrant, uplifting, and unique community of budding global innovators, dedicated to cultivating an affirming, inclusive, and invigorating academic space.
I have been consistently amazed at the ways that Wellesley students, faculty, and staff show up for one another and create a sense of belonging, on-campus and beyond. The supportive and empowering nature of the Wellesley community has encouraged me to challenge myself, ask tough questions, and take advantage of exciting opportunities. Now, as an alumna, I cannot emphasize enough what a privilege it is to learn and grow in a community that actively amplifies each other’s voices, challenges the status quo, and celebrates who we are.
—Aminah Praileau '21, assistant director of admission
At Wellesley, we understand the importance of having a student body made up of various backgrounds, experiences and cultures. Being in a diverse environment offers more worldviews for students to engage with. When students interact with peers with different perspectives they are able to think differently and develop new viewpoints.
As a biracial student who did not attend Wellesley, it brings me joy to invite prospective students into this community. Our campus is filled with an array of students, faculty and staff who support our mission of creating an environment where all members of the community feel that they belong and have an opportunity to contribute.
—Corrine Williams, assistant director of admission
“What was unique about Wellesley was its holistic approach to an undergraduate education. As an Asian-American, I fell in love with its belief that, without exposure to a diverse pool of students, we lose the opportunity to develop essential qualities such as empathy, perspective, and awareness. At Wellesley, education doesn't end once you leave the classroom—it begins. So I knew as soon as I visited Wellesley that I would never have to justify why I belonged there.”
—Haley '24, belonging and equity liaison
“As a Latinx, low-income, first gen student, I felt ostracized coming from a predominantly white and affluent high school. Despite feeling lost, I always knew that I needed to go to a college that not only catered to my needs, but also introduced me to people of backgrounds both similar to mine and completely opposite. I knew by the time college came around that I needed to break out of the box I had been confined in for most of my life. Without much contemplation, I knew that Wellesley was exactly what I had been searching for; its nurturing environment and efforts to be inclusive for all immediately captured me. I am beyond grateful to call this campus my new home for the next four years, and am certain that Wellesley will give me the tools to help me take on the obstacles that lay ahead.”
—Jocelyn '24, belonging and equity liaison
“The first time I stepped foot on Wellesley's campus, I vividly remember telling my mom by the Founders parking lot on that rainy April day that I had to be here and needed to get off the waitlist. Part of me knew, in that moment, that Wellesley was for me, largely because I found something I had been searching for but had yet to find at my predominantly white high school: a sense of comfort. As a person of color, it was refreshing to hear students speaking frankly about their experiences and finding intersections between race and the class topic. And I can confidently say that I have found my community on campus and that it continues to make me feel safe and welcomed.”
—Joni '23, belonging and equity liaison
"What I love about Wellesley is that the entire community is heavily invested in helping you find your place and ensuring that you belong. When I arrived at Wellesley, I was initially uncomfortable having to transition into a new environment, but through the resources and organizations at Wellesley for first-generation and low-income students of color, I gradually began to feel at home. I have been able to connect with several students, faculty, and staff who are ardently committed to helping me succeed during my four years here, and I am truly confident that I can realize my full potential as a leader and make meaningful contributions to the Wellesley community."
—Liora '25, belonging and equity liaison
"Coming from a school that was dedicated to serving low-income students of color, it was important for me to choose a college that would support me as I navigated higher education. At Wellesley, I have received more support than I ever could have imagined. I am surrounded by students who are intelligent, compassionate, and eager to use the knowledge they gain from Wellesley to impact our world in a meaningful way. During my next four years here to hope to learn more about the ways Wellesley supports its underrepresented students and be a part of efforts to nurture and encourage a safe and inclusive environment for all students."
—Nya '25, belonging and equity liaison
How we make Wellesley work for you
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A few of our most-used, best-loved campus resources
Acorns
Acorns, a renovated house overlooking Lake Waban, includes meeting space, a kitchen, and offices for advisors to students of Latinx and Asian descent.
Harambee House is home to Ethos, a group for students of African descent, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary!
Slater International Center is a gathering place for international students (about 10% of our student body) and students interested in global culture.
The Community Action Network hosts discussions, workshops, and events that promote a more nuanced, textured understanding of equity and inclusion.
The First Generation Network offers first-generation college students a supportive community, regular events, and mentorship from faculty, staff, and alumnae.
The Houghton Chapel and Multifaith Center is home to 17 weekly services, 8 religious and spiritual chaplains, and our Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.
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Partnerships with progressive organizations around the world
Chicago Scholars is leading a powerful movement to guide a critical mass of Chicago’s talented youth into college and career success. Chicago Scholars are academically driven, first-generation college students from under-resourced communities who do not have the social capital or informational resources necessary to help them navigate the unfamiliar, complex transitions into college, through college, and beyond to a career. As a Platinum College Partner with the Chicago Scholars program in Cook County, Wellesley participates in special student recruitment events in the Chicago area. Partners are dedicated to supporting Scholars with financial support, academic advising, and leadership opportunities. We also meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need as well as provide additional opportunities.
Wellesley is among the diverse coalition of public and private colleges and universities nationwide to participate in the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success. The coalition developed a new application as well as a free platform of online tools to streamline the experience of planning for and applying to college and to provide low-income students with better information about high-quality, low-cost college options.
Wellesley is proud to be a QuestBridge partner school. This nonprofit organization links motivated high-achieving, low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation’s best colleges. QuestBridge believes that attending a top college can be affordable, and the organization is committed to helping students attain the college education they deserve.
Say Yes to Education In joining the Say Yes Higher Education Compact, Wellesley, as well as other private colleges and universities across the country, agree to ensure that most students from Say Yes communities whose annual family income is at or below $75,000 are able to attend college tuition-free.
The Posse Foundation places students in posses—groups of 10 students—to help foster academic excellence within the institutions that have awarded the selected students a four-year full-tuition leadership scholarship. Wellesley is proud to be Houston’s second STEM Program partner, and the 11th STEM partner nationally, welcoming our first Posse to campus in 2017.
United World Colleges (UWC) schools, colleges, and programs deliver a challenging and transformational educational experience to a diverse cross-section of students, inspiring them to create a more peaceful and sustainable future. UWC comprises 16 international schools and colleges located in North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America; national committees in more than 150 countries; and a series of short educational programs. Learn about the Davis-United World College Scholars Program at Wellesley.
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Exceptional financial aid
We meet 100 percent of our students’ calculated need, ensuring that every admitted student can afford to attend Wellesley. Our MyinTuition calculator can give you a rough estimate of the aid you’d expect to receive if you attend Wellesley. On average, students receive $47,000 in grants that don’t require repayment. Students graduate with less than half the average national student debt.
Explore more from Wellesley
This is what leadership looks like.
A lot like you, most likely.
