Equity & Inclusion

At Miss Porter’s School, identity matters. As a community grounded in dignity and respect, all are seen and welcomed—and everyone belongs.

A woman sits by a window on a cushioned bench, holding a notebook and pen. She is surrounded by papers and colorful sticky notes on the wall, with a laptop nearby, appearing thoughtful and focused.

A Deep Commitment to Our Community and Our Future

At Porter’s, we constantly examine the dynamics and reality of inequality in the world and in our school. Our Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) leads and guides the school in the important work of creating a community where each person—from students to faculty to staff—belongs.

Shaping the World We Want to See—Together

As members of the OEI, we identify areas where inequities still exist on our campus and drive real change by fostering open dialogue and supporting a range of initiatives across the school. We actively create spaces for mistakes, reflection and growth so we can learn together and move toward justice. We believe that every member of the Porter’s community must work toward understanding and respecting our own identities and those of others.

To learn more about our work or connect with us, you can contact OEI at [email protected]

A group of 27 diverse young women pose together on a stage. Most wear matching beige sweatshirts, and they are arranged in four rows, smiling and looking at the camera in a bright indoor setting.

“Lorem ipsum.”

How we approach equity and inclusion at Porter’s

ELEVATING STUDENT VOICE AND LEADERSHIP ENSURING EVERYONE HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE SUPPORTING NEW IDEAS AND INITIATIVES UPHOLDING ACCOUNTABILITY AT EVERY LEVEL LEANING INTO DISCOMFORT TO FOSTER GROWTH SUSTAINING OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Porter’s student community drives much of our equity and inclusion work. It’s our students’ powerful ideas, insights and initiatives that move us forward.

Access to support matters. We work to identify barriers and ensure that resources, mentoring and support are available to every student, wherever they are on their journey.

We listen when students, faculty and staff bring new ideas to the table, and we collaborate to turn these ideas into meaningful opportunities to strengthen our culture of belonging.

Through clear expectations and a shared commitment, we hold ourselves and one another accountable for living Porter’s values and advancing equity in our daily work.

We create space for honest dialogue—even when it’s hard—through student-led workshops, professional development, school-wide programming, and other initiatives.

Creating a more inclusive community requires all of us. Our commitment to equity and belonging is core to who we are, and it is a responsibility we must all share.

Gender Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Generation after generation, our leadership is defined by our ability to articulate how young women think, how young women learn, and why gender matters. At Miss Porter’s School, we provide students with a uniquely empowering learning environment, and our mission and program focus on girls and women and the experiences needed for our graduates to shape a changing world.

While enrolled, some students come to openly identify with different gender identities, and the school is committed to an inclusive community rooted in the inherent worth and dignity of each member. This requires that our teachers, administrators and students work together to create the conditions that allow for belonging as our understanding of gender expands and deepens over time.

By the Numbers: 2026-2027 Academic Year

33%

of students are domestic students of color

15%

of students are international students

28

countries represented

30%

of faculty come from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds*

50%

of senior administrators come from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds*

32%

of Alumnae Board and Board of Trustees members come from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds*

*We currently define diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds as: anyone who self-reports and identifies as Black, African American, Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latine, Hispanic, Multiracial, Biracial, Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani and/or North African. Some, but not all, may identify as people of color.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

At Miss Porter’s School, we acknowledge the Tunxis Indigenous people as the original inhabitants and stewards of the lands that we call home. The history of this land is difficult to piece together, and the stories told were shaped by settler colonialism. We recognize the need for a fuller understanding of the Tunxis and our shared past. Because of this, we must speak the truth as it is currently known. The Head of School, Board of Trustees and senior administrative leadership commit to honoring the past and understanding our responsibility for the future.

Four young people sit together on a ledge in a classroom, smiling at the camera. Colorful artwork and rainbow flags decorate the wall behind them. Other students are partially visible in the foreground.

GET TO KNOW THE ORGANIZATIONS SHAPING A MORE INCLUSIVE PORTER’S

Porter’s is home to a range of faculty-, staff- and student-led groups that work to give every student a voice, and make us a more inclusive and welcoming community.

Meet the Team

Susan Martell Jenkin

Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer

Ziyanah Alexander

Equity & Inclusion Coordinator, House Director