Be Together, Not the Same

Our diversity is the core of our humanity.

 

AT POMFRET, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS WORK FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS. The first African American student graduated from Pomfret in 1965, the first female was accepted in 1968, and the first financial aid package was awarded in 1975. Today, the scale and scope of our work on race, gender, and class has expanded to include virtually every measure of diversity — from religion and sexual orientation to age and ability to culture and appearance. At Pomfret, it's what we do together that sets us apart.

 

At Pomfret, we are guided by research which indicates academic excellence and a diverse learning environment are synergistically linked and that students in diverse classroom settings show growth in intellectual development, motivation, academic skills, standardized test scoring, and grade point averages.

 

Beyond diversity, we are deeply committed to equity and inclusion for all. Pomfret Affinity Groups are groups for students, faculty, and staff, aimed at bringing together individuals with a common identity while offering guidance and support. They are an integral part of the Pomfret mission. These affinity groups support the school’s goal of making sure all in the Pomfret community feel loved, supported, seen, and heard. Given that inclusion is a crucial part of the Pomfret mission, most affinity groups at Pomfret are open to allies — individuals who may not share the affinity group’s specific identity but who otherwise share an interest in it.

 



25%

are people of color

45%

receive financial aid

20%

Are International Students

In 2015, Pomfret established The Virginia S. Eaton Multicultural Resource Center to enrich the Pomfret community through increased knowledge, awareness, and understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives by addressing issues such as racism, sexism, economic and social inequity, and prejudice. This multicultural resource center serves, supports, and empowers faculty, staff, students, and other constituents to actualize their full potential. In particular, the center focuses on the professional development of all faculty, and the recruitment, hiring and retention of faculty and administration of color. The center is housed on the Pomfret School campus, and all public, private and faith-based schools within a one-hour radius will be eligible for membership, including schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Pomfret is a founding member of SPHERE, a consortium of eleven Hartford area independent schools that came together in the early 1970s to broaden the diversity of their student bodies, administration, faculty, and staff. We are also a Charter Member and Legacy Award Recipient of A Better Chance, whose mission is to substantially increase the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society.

 


Diversity refers to those differences in identity that impact our social experiences, including status and access to resources. Most obviously it is determined by race, gender, and culture. On a more subtle level it includes class, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and appearance.