Our shared, beloved community
As a Catholic, Franciscan college, we at Alverno embrace diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and seek to build a welcoming community in which these values are recognized and celebrated.
To carry out this work, we have adopted a model of "shared equity leadership." That is, the belief that the ongoing work to achieve true equity is work to which we all contribute.
We invite you to explore this page to learn more about the ongoing work to achieve inclusive excellence at Alverno as well as how you may join our efforts.
ALVERNO
DE&I RESOURCES
Alverno is dedicated to student success and to ensuring a positive experience for students and their families, from the beginning of the college search through graduation.
Special Events
Annual Cultural Ceremonies
Three special cultural ceremonies are held for graduates in both December and May in the week leading up to Commencement.
We celebrate our graduates and the support networks who have helped them earn their degrees during Bestowing of the Kente, Latinas con Fuerza, and
Asian American Rite of Passage.
DE&I in the News
A'Ajanae Bowie, a senior at the Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education, is heading to Alverno College on a full-tuition scholarship as a Thea Bowman Scholar. Her story was featured on Milwaukee's TMJ4.
Our campus strives to bring unique individuals together to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion at Alverno College. We celebrate June as PRIDE Month and highlight our commitment to
non-discrimination.
Alverno College works to intentionally create a welcoming and inclusive learning community in which all members recognize and respect the rights and human dignity of every other member.
- News to Note: Alverno this year renamed its International & Intercultural Center to the Center for Belonging, in part to promote more inclusiveness of LBGTQ+ identities.
- Always a welcoming space for everyone, the OASIS Wellbeing Clubhouse/Counseling Services is decorated this month to reflect a warm celebration of PRIDE Month.
- The Alverno Library is sharing a PRIDE-themed book display, "Read with Pride, created by student employees.
- Alverno has an active LGBTQ+ student organization, the Alliance for Sexuality and Gender Diversity (ASGD.) For more information, contact ASGD Advisor Jac Sinclair (they/them) at jac.sinclair@alverno.edu.
- A task force with representatives from the Dean of Students Office, Residence Life, Athletics, and Admissions recently rewrote the college's gender identity policy, expected to be published soon. The updated policy contains more inclusive language that highlights how Alverno welcomes and accommodates nonbinary and transgender students in all aspects of campus life.
MEET OUR DE&I TEAM
Elena Hernández Burke serves as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and as Coordinator of Hispanic Student Initiatives at Alverno College. She previously worked as a Community
Organizer in Chicago with Latinx students and families to build equitable schools and communities. She also served as Drug Free Communities Manager at Safe & Sound, an organization
dedicated to building safe neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
Elena holds a Bachelor’s Degree from DePaul University in Political Science with minors in Latin American & Latino Studies and Spanish and an MBA from Alverno College.
She lives in Milwaukee with her husband and three daughters.
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Alexis B. Carter has called Milwaukee home since 2001 following a relocation to the Midwest. Carter received her bachelor of arts in Business & Management from Alverno College and her master’s degree of science in management from Cardinal Stritch University. In pursuit of professional development to complement her expertise in business acumen, in Summer 2020, Carter acquired her SHRM-CP, making her a certified Human Resource professional.
For the last 16 years, Carter has held positions focusing on the functions of Human Resources and Education (K-12 & Higher Ed). Carter's experience in executive-level recruitment, talent acquisition, and employee incentive programming has helped shift the organizational culture and promote change management. In K-12 & higher education settings, she has passionately served in the public, private and charter sectors.
In 2019, Carter returned to her alma mater, Alverno College as an employee, to serve in the role of assistant director of Admissions - High School Recruitment. In August of 2021, Carter was promoted to director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. It has been a pleasure for Carter to be able to serve in another all-women’s educational space and promote Alverno’s ability-based curriculum to prospective students and families.
Carter was named an Emerging Women Leader (EWL) by TEMPO Milwaukee and was awarded the WI SHRM Emerging Leader Award in 2021. Carter completed Cohort 12 of Milwaukee’s African American Leadership Program (AALP) designed to develop and empower Black emerging leaders in Milwaukee. She serves as the college relations director for the Wisconsin State SHRM Council, the director of Community Outreach for Milwaukee Metro Society for Human Resource Management, serves on the Membership Committee of the National Association for African American Human Resource Professionals (NAAAHR) Milwaukee Chapter, is a member of the NAACP - Milwaukee, and serves as vice-president of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network of Greater Milwaukee.
In her spare time, Carter enjoys watching sports (Go Milwaukee Bucks & Seattle Seahawks Go!), golfing, cooking with new flavors, being a plant mom, spending time traveling, and loving and supporting her 10-year-old son (future NBA all-star and investor), Che (like Hey but with a C).
Watch this space for additional updates and resources from our DE&I Team!
We welcome your questions, suggestions, and feedback.
Ready for what's next
