
Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity enriches education through opportunities to experience a wide range of perspectives, values and worldviews that arise from differing life experiences. Inclusion creates a positive learning environment that views diversity as central to our success.
Students are the Heart of Touro
The Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion helps create spaces that support your well being and the well being of all our students.
As a Touro student, you'll be encouraged to foster inclusion and diversity in many ways, including through a number of groups, events and clubs.
Student Organizations
There are more than 75 active student organizations on the Touro University California campus. Aligning with TUC's mission of service, leadership and education, the groups touch on all aspects of University life while embracing all students and their concerns, interests and educational passions.
One such club, the Rainbow Health Coalition, works to further LGBTQIA+ considerations related to healthcare. These considerations include trauma informed care, intersectionality, trans health, pediatric and elder population considerations.
The Latino Medical Student Association aims to provide education about the health needs of the Latinx communities in the Bay area, while providing mentorship and support to health professional students interested in addressing these important health disparities.
TUC's South Asian Student Health Association invests in the health of our local South Asian community through service and education. Members are students with an interest in South Asian Culture who are working to understand how to deliver efficient and effective health care to patients of South Asian descent.
And these are just three of the more than six-dozen groups you can become a part of as a TUC student.
Other groups include (but are not limited to):
- American Medical Women's Association
- Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association
- Black Interprofessional Student Organization
- Chinese Club
- Indian Student Healthcare Alliance
- Korean Student Pharmacist Association
- Christian Health Fellowship
- White Coats for Black Lives
- Vietnamese Student Pharmacist Association
- Rainbow Health Coalition
- South Asian Student Health Association (SASHA)
- Association of Women Surgeons
- Bhagat Puran Singh Health Initiative
- Chinese Student Pharmacist Association
- Filipino American Medical Society
- Global and Underserved Medicine Club
- Korean Student Pharmacist Association
- Latino Medical Student Association
- Medical Students for Choice
- National Hispanic Pharmacist Association
- Spanish Club
At Touro, we value you — including all of what makes up your life experience — and we do so with enthusiastic interest and support.
Diversity Scholarships
As a TUC student, you are supported in your efforts to use scholarships as a way to help fund your education — including those scholarships especially aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion.
You're also encouraged to take part in various activities — such as our annual Mosaic Celebration — that help fund Touro's own diversity scholarships.
Our Mosaic Celebration includes celebrity entertainment and silent auction that both raise money for diversity scholarships. Mosaic scholarships reflect a global village of students who leave TUC with the ability to affect change from the embodiment of our social justice values.
Since 2017, more than $656,000 in Mosaic scholarship funds have been raised from our gracious sponsors and donors. Thus far, 83 students of diverse backgrounds have been supported on their paths to helping others through Mosaic scholarships.
TUC's financial aid department is a great source for information regarding other diversity scholarship opportunities.
Programs & Training
Safe Net/Safe Zone Training
A Safe Zone network of faculty, staff and students with Safe Zone training that advances inclusion on campus. This network not only advances safe spaces, practices, and education to promote a campus-wide platform around gender identity and sexual orientation.
JEDI Council
This campus-wide committee establishes an infrastructure for the promotion of diversity and inclusion. This university-wide committee is interconnected with college committees in a way that meets college-specific and university-wide needs. Learn more about JEDI
Anti-Bias Training
We all have bias. However, some bias is shaped by structures of domination that impact the lives of marginalized groups in particular. Consider taking an implicit bias test at Project Implicit.
Diversity Canvas
Diversity and Inclusion cover a broad range of topics and competencies. In Canvas, you can find the Diversity and Inclusion course to explore content to share knowledge, literature, training documents and host discussion forums on topics that are designed to promote diversity and inclusion.
College Diversity Statements
While diversity, inclusion and social justice are themes that run throughout TUC, we know that each college within our university has unique ways of implementing those values. Find your college below to read its diversity statement. We also offer a Racial Justice
College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM)
In order to aspire to and attain the vision of Touro University California (TUC) for “inspirational teaching and scholarship, transformative leadership and exemplary service” we must embrace and dedicate ourselves to the acceptance and appreciation of diversity.
Likewise, we believe that the only way we can achieve the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine’s vision “to prepare outstanding osteopathic physicians for the future needs of their patients and communities” is to create a culture and environment that is fully inclusive representing a diverse group of students, staff, faculty and leaders.
To establish meaningful solutions, encourage important innovation, and thoroughly address the needs of a broadly diverse society, we must ensure that we are fostering inclusion, educating about disparity and social determinants of health, understanding multi-cultural issues, and examining solutions that include the full spectrum of perspectives, experiences and opinions. Our approach to achieve our vision with respect to diversity is twofold.
- First, in developing our programs we actively seek those from all walks of life who are the best and brightest while embracing our values of social justice, intellectual pursuit and service to humanity.
- Second, our educational focus is to prepare students for the practice of medicine not only for today for decades to come. To accomplish this requires an understanding of the importance of diversity that extends beyond race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status but also encompasses other qualities that embody all that we as a global society represent.
- Specifically, we have developed robust programs in primary and preventative care, global health, public health and inter-professionalism all based on a hands-on osteopathic approach that emphasizes empathy, mindfulness and the need to effectively communicate with all individuals. Utilizing this approach we hope to close the loop from recruitment to practice, such that we will attract a diverse group of professionals who want to learn how to DO what we DO to benefit and aid our diverse constituency. This is what we call the D.O. difference in diversity.
Our education programs prepare educators to meet the needs of all students and train them for the future of education. Our Mission is to promote social justice by serving the community and larger society; as well as to prepare and continuously support professional educators to meet the needs of a constantly changing and diverse student population.
Graduate School of Education (GSOE)
GSOE has taken concrete steps to recruit candidates that reflect this diverse student body and provide the support to succeed.
Those steps include:
- Developing admissions criteria that use multiple and inclusive measures to evaluate applicants.
- Engaging with the community to encourage applicants from all backgrounds to become educators.
- Providing scholarships to increase the diversity of applicants and support current students.
- Leading and partnering with the other programs in the College of Education and Health Sciences to host professional development and community forums in the areas of social justice, educational and health disparities, equity, and inclusion.
These actions have increased diversity in the GSOE and this is shown in Touro's teacher credential admissions data in comparison with all teacher programs in California.
College of Pharmacy (COP)
COP's ultimate goal is to benefit society through its programs in pharmacy education, research, scholarship, and service. With that in mind, we prepare our students to become competent, caring and ethical pharmacists dedicated to optimizing health care outcomes.
Therefore, we promote life-long learning in a culture of collegiality, respect, and diversity. Indeed, we are dedicated to sustaining a culture of equity, respect, and understanding by recruiting faculty, staff and students who are diverse. Through this dedication we believe we will ultimately be recognized locally, nationally and internationally for excellence in our endeavors.
Racial Justice Resource Guide
Touro University California is happy provide resources to help develop an understanding of systemic racism, the condition of white privilege that perpetuates oppression, and racial justice.
The history and legacy of racism continue to impact ways of thinking and being that calls those who promote racial justice to learn and act. Please use this guide to help build the ideals of social justice and human equality.
Diversity & Inclusion Leadership
Andrea Garcia, Director of Diversity and Community Affairs
Vice President Garcia has served and serves in numerous community and national leadership roles focused on advancing diversity and inclusion including, but not limited to, serving as Chair of the National Ethnicity Committee for U.S. Youth Soccer; Committee Member of Solano Transit Authority’s Equity Working Group; President of Solano Community College Education Foundation; Board Member of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce; Past President of the Solano Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Past Chair of the Fairfield Suisun Chamber of Commerce; and Past Chair of Leadership Vallejo.