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Inclusive Excellence Academy

Inclusive Excellence Academy wording in circle

What is the Inclusive Excellence Academy?

Cornell University's Inclusive Excellence Academy offers programs designed to advance an inclusive educational environment and workplace. The IEA features customized seminars designed for participants at all stages of their understanding of diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Specific seminars, prioritized based on the university's needs, are offered each semester. Our programs incorporate personal narratives from experienced speakers that encourages participants to engage in dialogue, self-reflection, and the development of action-oriented skills that foster a culture of belonging. 

Upcoming Learning Sessions

March 27

Break and Learn: Leading Yourself - No Title Required

Presenter: 

  • Akida Gray, HR eCornell and Executive & Leadership Coach for Cornell

Facilitated by: 

  • Erin Sember-Chase, Learning Consultant, Inclusion & Belonging

Session Overview:

Leadership isn't just about titles or authority - it's about how we show up, respond, and influence the space around us. Whether you are running a meeting, collaborating with a colleague, or engaging in a challenging conversation, you are leading in that moment. 

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about leading consciously - a fresh way to consider leadership by shifting the focus from how we lead others to how we lead ourselves in our work and in life. 

Enroll in course here

Course Details:

This isn't a lecture. It's a discussion. Through real examples and relatable moments, we'll unpack questions like: 

  • How do we lead from wherever we are at, even when it's not in our job description?
  • What happens when we react instead of respond?
  • How do we shift to openness and curiosity when we realize we're stuck in defensiveness and resistance?

We hope you'll take a break to learn with us. Come ready to engage, reflect, and hear perspectives and insights that just might shift how you see leadership - and yourself!

Date: Thursday, March 27

Time: 2:00-3:15 PM ET

Location: Zoom 

Please contact inclusion@cornell.edu with any questions. 

Anti-Racism Training and Resources

For more information on ongoing trainings focused on anti-racism, please visit the Anti-Racism Resources page on the Belonging at Cornell website.

Seminar Request

See a workshop you want to bring to your department or unit?  Contact the Department of Inclusion and Belonging at inclusion@cornell.edu.

IEA Learning Goals

  1. Participants will develop an understanding of the business case for diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
  2. Participants will develop a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of identity groups outside of their own.
  3. Participants will learn more about their own identities in relation to others.
  4. Participants will learn concrete action steps they can implement in their department and/or unit to create a culture of inclusion and belonging.

"Break & Learn" Sessions

The IE Academy Break and Learn (B&L) sessions aim to elevate the voices and lived experiences of employees while also providing colleagues and people leaders tangible information and ideas they can apply to their everyday work life. 

Previous Break & Learn Sessions

  1. A Deeper Understanding of the Indigenous Experience (Recorded on November 29, 2022)
  2. Honoring Black History Through Collaboration and Celebration (Recorded on February 23, 2023)
  3. A Discussion Across Diverse Asian/Asian American Experiences (Recorded on May 4, 2023)
  4. Exploring Ableism (Recorded on June 15, 2023)
  5. Celebrating Local Latinx/Hispanic History (Recorded on October 13, 2023)
  6. The Value of Veterans in the Workplace (Recorded on November 16, 2023)
  7. Women Uplifting Women in the Workplace (Recorded on March 19, 2024)
  8. Workday and Benefit Updates in Support of LGBTQIA+ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Recorded on June 25, 2024)