The Inclusive college and intersectionality: Some reflections

The concept of the inclusive college—however defined—is increasingly recognized as a vital goal for higher education. Across North America, colleges and universities are undergoing a decades-long transition, striving to serve culturally diverse student bodies better. But inclusion is not just about representation; it’s about reimagining institutional structures to ensure that all students can fully benefit from the college experience.

One powerful lens for this work is intersectionality. Rooted in Black feminist thought and popularized by scholars such as Patricia Hill Collins, intersectionality prompts us to examine how overlapping social identities—such as race, gender, class, disability, and sexual orientation—interact to shape advantage or disadvantage. It’s not enough to consider a student’s disability status in isolation. If that student is also a woman and a racial minority, the barriers to access may be compounded. These layered experiences of exclusion require a more nuanced and responsive approach.

On college campuses, student services are often divided by identity categories—minority status, gender, sexual orientation, and national origin. Yet I’ve seen firsthand how students from ethnic minority backgrounds sometimes choose not to disclose their disabilities, opting instead to navigate accommodations on their own. The fear of facing double or triple stigmas is a genuine concern. To truly support these students, college professionals must develop a deeper understanding of how identities intersect—and how those intersections shape access, belonging, and success.

Importantly, this understanding must be informed by students themselves. They should have the power to define what an inclusive college looks like from their standpoint. Inclusion cannot be imposed from above; it must be co-created with those who live its realities.

I began thinking more deeply about the connection between intersectionality and the inclusive college after attending two events in early 2011. The first was the annual meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, which focused on intersectionality as its central theme. The second was a professional development workshop on inclusive practices at the college where I work. These gatherings underscored the importance of linking theory to practice—of using intersectional insights to shape policies, programs, and campus culture.

Initially, the concept of inclusive colleges emerged in relation to students with disabilities. However, today it encompasses a broader range of student groups whose experiences differ from those of the dominant college population. Inclusion is not just about physical accessibility—it’s about rethinking administrative and academic structures that may unintentionally exclude.

An intersectional view of higher education calls for a critical examination of how institutional culture and policy either support or hinder student success. Suppose we are serious about raising graduation rates among disadvantaged populations. In that case, we must adopt an intersectional disposition—one that continually questions the impact of our decisions and remains open to transformation.