Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

You belong at CCAD.

At CCAD, diversity, equity, and inclusion are more than an acronym; they’re at the core of who we are and how we work. We know our community is stronger, more creative, and more collaborative when different voices and experiences come together. That’s why at CCAD we accept the accepting—and it shows.

DEI. HERE, IT’S A BELIEF SYSTEM.

Having a diverse student body isn't just something we talk about. It's who we are.

60%
of CCAD students identify as LGBTQ+
32%
of students are people of color
30%
of students are the first in their families to attend college
20
Number of Diversity Impact Scholarships awarded annually

Living Our Commitments

CCAD strives to live by its values and commitments to equity and inclusion.

  • All gender restroom

    Gender inclusive bathrooms

    The college has gender-inclusive restrooms in every college building.

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    Chosen name policy

    • Students can identify their chosen name in the student information system (Self Service) and Moodle and have that name be viewable on school documents and records, such as class rosters and student ID cards.

  • CCAD wellness

    Counseling & Wellness Center

    The CWC supports students' professional and personal success by providing student-centered therapeutic, programmatic, and educational services.

  • Pfeifer WOCED Ix Zoras Housex CCAD 099

    Special Topics courses

    Special Topics courses — With study on issues such as Human Trafficking, Special Topics courses provide students the opportunity to use art and design to support social change in and out of the classroom

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    Engagement & Inclusion Office

    The Engagement & Inclusion Office supports students' sense of belonging through special events and activities on campus.

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    Leadership lunches and open forums

    Our leaders, including President Corn, have meetings each semester with students to learn about their experiences and learn about their ideas for campus life.

Student Organizations

You'll find your community at CCAD. Join some of our current student organizations, or start your own!

  • After Tea Chaos
  • Battle Games Association
  • Cult Film Club
  • Lolita/J-Fashion Club
  • Student Government Association
  • Student Programming Board
  • Sustainability Collective
  • Tabletop Role-Play Game Club
  • Black Student Leadership Alliance
  • Coalition for Christian Outreach
  • Disabled Artist Collective
  • International Student Association
  • Queer Artist Collective
  • Animation Student Collective
  • Comics Collective
  • Game Creators’ Guild
  • Graphic Design Collective
  • Illustration Student Collective
  • Product Design Collective

DEI FAQ

CCAD defines diversity as the range of human differences that intersect across multiple dimensions of personhood, including but not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic class, disability status, religious or ethical value systems, national origin, and citizenship status.

In 2021, all CCAD faculty began anti-oppression pedagogy training. The lessons take faculty members through six two-week modules on such topics as structural racism, intersectionality, and implicit bias and are intended to help illuminate how power and structural oppression impact pedagogy and day-to-day interactions on campus and off. That learning, alongside feedback from students and alumni—particularly CCAD’s Black students and alumni—is intended to translate into the classroom to affect social change.


Yes. Having a diverse student body means having a student body that can afford to attend and succeed at CCAD. Scholarships, such as the Diversity Impact Scholarship, help students from underrepresented backgrounds with tuition costs. Learn more about scholarships and funding your CCAD education. 

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