Q&A with Brittany Young, TGS Director of Diversity and Inclusion
The Graduate School’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) focuses on the recruitment and support of underrepresented populations to foster an inclusive environment and facilitate community engagement. ODI is committed to the personal and intellectual growth of our diverse population of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Brittany Young, PhD serves as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion within The Graduate School (TGS). Prior to TGS, Brittany held positions as Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs and BIPOC Graduate Engagement in the Center of Intercultural Life at Tulane University, and as Senior Coordinator of Diversity Education in the Office of Equity and Inclusion at Loyola University New Orleans. She brings a wealth of experience to supporting students of various backgrounds through culturally enriching programming, advising, collegiate instruction, and research.
Read below to learn more about Brittany and her role within TGS.
- Can you describe your role within The Graduate School’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)?
In my role at ODI, I often feel like I'm playing chess—strategically moving between our major initiatives to provide support and ensure a meaningful experience for our diverse graduate student body. I lead the everyday initiatives and develop key partnerships. As director, I oversee several key programs, including the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP), which is a major recruitment initiative. Through SROP, I work with talented undergraduates who spend the summer conducting research with Northwestern faculty, with the goal of encouraging them to pursue graduate school here. Current graduate students serve as mentors and graduate interns in this program.
I also engage with the graduate student community through our ODI graduate internship, which is open to second-year and more advanced doctoral students. Additionally, I work closely with several other initiatives, including the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, the Let's Talk Diversity Program, and the Equity in Graduate Education Consortium.
I truly love the work I do and am grateful for this stage in my career. Being able to support students and contribute to a more inclusive academic environment is incredibly fulfilling, and I'm excited to continue making a positive impact in the TGS community.
- Can you tell us what inspired your decision to engage in this work?
I earned my PhD in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media at North Carolina State University, focusing on Southern hip hop as a meaning-making space for Black women, approached through a rhetorical lens. I had fully intended to pursue a tenure-track position, but when COVID hit, things took an unexpected turn. The disruption forced me to pause and reflect on my passions at that moment. At the time, I had just completed a fellowship where I audited and mapped the retention of students of color in my PhD program. That experience made me realize that my true passion lay in access—specifically, increasing access to opportunities for underrepresented communities in higher education.
I often joke that I "fell into" diversity work, but it was actually a very intentional shift. Demystifying the academy, breaking down barriers, and creating pathways for marginalized groups to access information and opportunities became my driving force. What keeps me engaged in this work is my deep care for students and my commitment to making higher education more inclusive and equitable for all.
- What resource(s) can you and your office provide for graduate students?
Our office has an expansive portfolio of resources that typically fall under the recruitment and retention umbrellas. We serve graduate students and postdocs, and we have some initiatives for faculty. Our major initiatives are cultural heritage celebrations, the Diversity Peer Mentor program, the Bouchet Honor Society, HBCU Hangout, Navigating Northwestern, ODI internships, the Let's Talk Diversity dialogue series, Social Justice Mini-Grants, the Inclusive Voice newsletter, and other major partnerships and initiatives.
- How can graduate students best contact ODI?
Our main email is TGSDiversity@northwestern.edu. Our entire team has access to the shared email, so it is the best place to contact us!
- What’s one fun fact you can share about yourself?
Lion King is legit my favorite movie of all time! I named my oldest daughter after Sarabi because I love the film so much 🙂.
Categories: Around Campus