Mission

The mission of The University of Maine Diversity Leadership Institute (UMDLI) supports the commitment of the University to "developing and sustaining a multicultural and pluralistic educational community that encourages the full participation of all of its members." [UMaine Mission Statement]  The UMDLI's mission is to provide and cultivate opportunities to understand, appreciate, support and strengthen the diversity of our community.  The UMDLI promotes a learning and working community that embraces a vision of Open Doors, Open Minds, and Open Hearts. Diversity is defined and represented by the myriad ways in which we differ including our genders, our race/ethnicities, our languages, our sexual orientation, our ages, our faiths, our cultural and social class contexts, our learning styles, our intellectual and physical abilities, our talents and our challenges.

Goals
•		To create a grassroots, bottom-up approach to diversity efforts;
•		To build a well-connected support system of trained role models, staff development trainers, speakers, mentors, ambassadors, and diversity planners and consultants for the campus and the greater community that would grow in number each year;
•		To provide collaborative opportunities for diversity work that provide accountability, assessment opportunities, and structure to the work;
•		To identify, recognize, and honor those individuals, units and organizations that are committed to diversity work.