In higher education, we claim to celebrate our commitment to establishing inclusive workplaces, yet we face realities of daily institutional life that contradict that. Across admissions offices and campus life, there are unspoken norms of professionalism that determine which individuals are affirmed, which expressions are tolerated, and which voices we discourage.

This session will examine how inclusion infiltrates our internal workplace dynamics with our colleagues, supervisors, and institutional leadership and how that affects our student-facing practices. When staff members feel pressure to conform, silence aspects of their identity, or navigate bias within professional spaces, the promise of inclusion offered to students becomes inconsistent and fragile.

Emphasizing lived experiences and patterns across institutions, this session will explore the parallel realities of inclusion in higher education: what colleges and universities claim to value, what staff are expected to embody, and what students experience. Participants in this session will have the opportunity to examine how workplace culture influences admissions decision-making, cultivates the student body, and impacts the emotional labor of supporting marginalized communities.

Inclusion starts as an organizational responsibility, and it is imperative when providing a framework for the student body. Attendees will reflect, engage, and learn just how their internal cultural efforts impact success in higher education externally. These reflections will allow us to strengthen these inclusive practices across both professional and student relationships and interactions.

If we are not practicing inclusivity among colleagues, how can it truly be delivered to students?