Diversity and Justice

We intentionally seek to cultivate and sustain this ethos by actively inviting students and faculty underrepresented in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs to pursue excellence in scholarship and clinical service as members of a supportive and welcoming community - one that promotes the good of everyone with preference to individuals and communities who have been historically and traditionally marginalized and wounded by our society.

The goals of diversity and justice initiatives in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs are to:

1. Infuse themes of diversity and individual differences into the environment, pedagogy, and programmatic ethos;
2. Broaden definition of diversity beyond racial and ethnic representation - without minimizing their importance – to include class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and physical/ cognitive abilities;
3. Re-invigorate our mission of serving diverse unjustly-served communities and reframing this mission as the practice of integrating clinical psychology and biblical/ theological studies; and
4. Create sustained ethos of inclusion – for all students, faculty, and staff.

1. Recruitment and mentorship of students and faculty who belong to historically underrepresented groups in the Programs;
2. Promote awareness, advocacy, and programmatic accountability on issues of diversity in clinical research and practice that are integrated into the broader curriculum and training;
3. Strengthening of relationship between our commitment to diversity and justice, and our commitment to Christ and His kingdom; and
4. Measuring the results of on-going diversity and justice initiative.

• John McConnell (Diversity and Justice Coordinator )
• Benjamin Pyykkonen (Programs Director)
• Ginger Smith (Diversity and Justice Assistant Coordinator)
• Student Representatives:
  • Carly Quibodeaux (Third Year PsyD Student)
  • Vernice Barrimond (Third Year PsyD Student)
  • David O'Connor (Second Year PhD Student)
  • Jadisha Vargas-Correa (First Year PhD Student)

In order to celebrate the beautiful neurodiversity in our programs, the DJI Committee launched an art project to help bring visibility to a normally hidden type of diversity. Stay tuned for the unveiling in our DJI Commons next semester!

The DJI Committee hosted program alumna, Dr. Justine Stewart ('23) to hear about her work on the Wheaton College Historical Review Task Force (HRTF). Over pizza, an intimate group of students, faculty, and staff members learned about Dr. Stewart's HRTF work; heard from a faculty panel about our programs' work to celebrate diversity and pursue justice; and discussed how we can be part of what's next.

DJI student representatives are leveraging their personal experiences to make connections with incoming applicants and students to offer support and hospitality as these individuals join and acclimate to the PsyD and PhD programs. Often a monumental life change, DJI student reps are committed to creating a welcoming environment from the time a student applies to the day they walk onto The Mezzanine for their first class and beyond!

The Diversity & Justice Initiative is committed to furthering research. If you are a Wheaton PsyD or PhD student or faculty member and have a project pursuing understanding of diversity, multiculturalism, interculturalism, Biblical/social justice, inclusion, etc., we want to support you. Please apply for a DJI Mini-Grant!