New CSM Vice President Focuses on Diversity

The College of Southern Maryland’s new vice president of Institutional Equity and Diversity Office, Danelle McClanahan, has a vision for CSM, in which the diversity of the faculty reflects the diversity of the students. In that vision, the college will expand and enhance programs that help all students, foster inclusion, and create students who are ready for a global career market.

Ms. McClanahan brings more than 11 years of experience in various fields of diversity. She sees that CSM has made strides in creating an environment that is inclusive of all ethnicities, just like what she envisions.

“Diversity is woven into the fabric of CSM through numerous initiatives such as the Men of Excellence and various outreach to the community for engagement such as the Diversity Institute and the Charles County Mediation Center,” she said. “Moreover, CSM has a generously diverse student population — 35 percent of our full-time students in the spring semester alone were racially diverse and research shows that by 2027, nationally, 49 percent of high school seniors will be students of color, so we can only expect an increase in diverse college students. Hence, it is our responsibility to lead in inclusive excellence and expand and enhance our investment in diversity inclusive practices.”

Ms. McClanahan is working to find ways to bring diversity into all aspects of student life.

“The research shows that students benefit from an inclusive environment and curriculum in preparing them for the globalized society,” she said. “I envision collaborating with the faculty to connect programs with the curriculum, and thereby better prepare students for a more globalized society.”

Ms, McClanahan said she will focus not only on recruiting and retaining African-American men at the college, but she wishes to see them through to graduation.

“The persistence rates for African-American males are statistically low nationwide, and we need to improve that outcome,” she said.

Before coming to CSM, Ms. McClanahan was director of diversity and the ombudsperson at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

For information about programs offered through the Diversity Institute at the College of Southern Maryland, click here.

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