Program Spotlight: The Office of Inclusion and Engagement The Office of Inclusion and Engagement (OIE) supports Washington and Lee University's mission by striving to foster a culture in which all community members feel entirely welcome and able to participate in everything the university has to offer.

By Erica Turman
February 14, 2021

The Office of Inclusion and Engagement (OIE) supports Washington and Lee University’s mission by striving to foster a culture in which all community members feel entirely welcome and able to participate in everything the university has to offer. The primary goals of OIE are creating and maintaining a safe and supportive atmosphere for students as they integrate into the university’s educational, cultural and social environment. Toward this end, OIE develops programs that explore, promote and celebrate our students, faculty and staff’s increasingly diverse backgrounds.

At W&L, Tamara Futrell, Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Student Engagement, and the OIE staff seek to foster “harmonious relationships” by providing opportunities for the campus community to enhance its knowledge about diversity and social justice issues. 

“I am blessed to have an amazing team that works beside me to carry out the mission of the office,” Futrell said. “Over the last five months, with the addition of Dani Roberts and Jake Reeves, OIE has expanded the breadth and depth of our programmatic and training endeavors.”

Futrell is responsible for providing leadership and vision for student diversity and inclusion programming, services and initiatives within the division of Students Affairs at W&L. She also assists with diversity training and other educational initiatives for faculty and staff across campus. 

Futrell has worked in higher education since 1996, and she has been at W&L for more than eighteen years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1994 and a master of science degree in college and community counseling from Longwood (College) University in 1996. She joined W&L in 2003, and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in the Higher Education program at Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Futrell serves as a member of the Student Affairs Division, the President’s Council and an ex-officio member of the University’s Committee on Inclusiveness and Campus Climate. She also served as a member of the Steering Committee for the university’s 2018 strategic plan.

Additional information for parents and families about The Office of Inclusion and Engagement is available here.