Saint Martin’s President Roy and Kathleen Heynderickx establish the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Fund with starting gift of $350,000 from donors

"Kathleen and I have always believed that to effect real change requires all of the necessary resources to do so," shares Saint Martin's President Roy Heynderickx. "This DEI fund, which hopefully will grow over time, will help this community grow in its response to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues by supporting scholarships and programming today and well into the future."

During Dr. Heynderickx's tenure, Saint Martin's has established the African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian-Pacific Islander, Native American (AHAHA) Connections mentorship program; joined the Act Six Network to provide full-tuition, full-need scholarships for diverse urban leaders; and created two new positions including the appointment of John Hopkins, Ph.D. as chief diversity officer and Kevin Calixto as the Diversity and Education Center (DEC) program manager.

The DEI Fund was established by President Roy and Kathleen Heynderickx as one of their lasting legacies. Gifts raised toward the DEI Fund will support affinity group gatherings, cultural events, AHANA Connections, and future scholarships for black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students.

"The impact of this funding will be felt in the short and long term. We plan to take a small percentage of these funds and, over a period of five years, allocate them towards DEC programming," adds Saint Martin's University Chief Diversity Officer John Hopkins, Ph.D. "The funds will help achieve our goals of creating a sense of belonging for marginalized students on campus and sponsoring campus-wide DEI programs for the community."

To learn more about how you can invest in Saint Martin's DEI Fund or how you can participate in the For Every Saint campaign, please contact [email protected] or 360-438-4366.

Saint Martin's University is an independent coeducational university, with undergraduate and graduate offerings, located on a wooded campus of more than 300 acres in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 13 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin's University prepares students for successful lives through its 29 majors, 11 master's programs, one doctorate program, and seven certificate programs spanning the arts and sciences, business, counseling, education, engineering, nursing, and leadership. Saint Martin's welcomes more than 1,300 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its Lacey campus, and more students to its extended campus located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Nate Peters
Senior Director of Development, Major & Planned Gifts
360-438-4294; [email protected]

Jocelyn Bonilla
Marketing and Social Media Manager
360-412-6126; [email protected]