An oral history with Eva Laun-Smith
Athlete, activist, and Fulbright Scholar Eva Laun-Smith’21 discusses her passion for history, mentorship under College Archivist Emeritus Fred Burwell’86, and finding examples of Black joy in Beloit’s archives.
Becoming Better
A Roadmap to Centering Anti-Racism and Equity at Beloit
Beloit is committed to a broad and comprehensive effort to center the work of anti-racism and equity on campus.
Equity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism: Six Goals
Each of these goals includes a path to implementation, with clear metrics that we’ll use to measure our success. This is our roadmap to becoming better.
Strengthen the FoundationLearn more
Goal
Strengthen the Foundation
Increase the number of Black staff, faculty, and trustees through recruitment and retention.
Grow the CommunityLearn more
Goal
Grow the Community
Build on our ongoing commitment to enroll and retain domestic Black students.
Spread KnowledgeLearn more
Goal
Spread Knowledge
Continue to ensure students engage with issues of race, sex, power, privilege, anti-racism, and anti-blackness across the college.
Share a Common LanguageLearn more
Goal
Share a Common Language
Continue to ensure faculty, staff, and trustees engage with issues of race, sex, power, privilege, anti-racism, and anti-blackness.
Create Inclusive SpacesLearn more
Goal
Create Inclusive Spaces
Expand safe, inclusive spaces for Black students— residentially, socially, and academically.
Resist InjusticeLearn more
Goal
Resist Injustice
Ensure an effective and efficient process to address biased, racist, and discriminatory acts.
Learn about our history
Beloit has long been committed to the ideals of equity and inclusion. And when we look at our past and our present, the truth is clear. We need to do more to dismantle racism: in the world, in our part of the country, on our own campus.
There is so much that has been done. And there is so much that we can still do. We are working for serious, lasting institutional change. We are doing the necessary work of becoming better.
Moving Forward
While the work ahead may not be easy or comfortable, it is necessary. With these six goals, we are making a commitment to put our time, energy, and financial resources into the hard work of aspiring to become an anti-racist institution.
Happening @ Beloit
Karen Nelson is Black Student Graduation 2022’s keynote speaker
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant, Karen Nelson has been named the Keynote Speaker at Beloit College’s 2022 Black Student Graduation Ceremony on May 13. Regarding her work, Karen explains, “Diversity is my passion. Giving a voice to people who are not normally heard is what drives me to wake up and tackle each new day.”
Learning about race, power, & privilege
Over 120 members of the campus community participated in a free e-course to learn the fundamentals of how interpersonal and systemic racism function.
Go Deeper
More History
Our History
The complicated legacy of Laurence Ousley
Laurence Ousley certainly had “the faith to make the start.” One of Beloit’s earliest African-American students, he entered Beloit Academy in the fall of 1890 and studied and worked for three years in the Scientific Division, leaving just before graduating.
But the “way out and up” proved to be a struggle, and he had to quell whatever ambitions he harbored about attending college and pursuing a career in order to support his family.
Read the ArticleMore History