Inclusion and Belonging
IB Committees
Villa Maria formed its IB Committee in the 2014–2015 school year with both students and faculty/staff.
Student IB Committee
The Student IB Committee is a student-led organization which strives to increase awareness of issues of inclusion and belonging and to promote positive change both within and beyond the Villa Maria community. The Student IB Committee organizes and facilitates IB presentations and programs for the Villa Maria community throughout the school year. All students are welcome to participate.
Student IB Leadership Team
The Student IB Leadership Team consists of a small group of dedicated students who lead and facilitate IB events, presentations and programs for the Villa Maria community.
Faculty/Staff DEIB Committee
The faculty/staff IB Committee meets monthly to discuss and make recommendations for IB policies and programs which will enhance student learning and the student experience as well as the experience of the entire Villa Maria community.
Director of Service and Social Justice
Contact Kara Bielli, kbielli@vmahs.org.
Villa Maria Academy
IB Statement
Villa Maria Academy is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that respects and promotes the integration of underrepresented groups into its community.Villa Maria Academy is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community which respects and promotes the integration of underrepresented groups into its community. Villa Maria recognizes the many dimensions of diversity and the broad, complex, and dynamic nature of human difference and similarity. Inclusion and a sense of belonging are essential in an educational environment, including preparing students for citizenship in a global society, the sharing of cultural knowledge and wisdom, and promoting collective well-being. A policy of inclusion and belonging will facilitate Villa Maria Academy’s mission as a Catholic and IHM Congregational school.
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“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble."U.S. Representative John Lewis
Ignatian Solidarity Network and the IFTJ Conference
Each November, IB Committee students proudly represent Villa Maria at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, the largest Catholic social justice conference in the U.S., in Washington, D.C. The event usually includes a liturgy, prayer services, keynote speaker sessions, workshops, and group reflection and discussion. It is always a meaningful experience for the students, who gather with more than 2,000 people from high schools, universities, and parishes in the United States. Pictured: students and Sr. Mary Jo Ely, I.H.M., preparing to board their train to Washington, D.C., for the November 2025 gathering.
Diversity Prayer
We praise You, God for the diversity that is all around us. We rejoice in the complex beauty of your creation. Help us to celebrate the wonderful blend of cultures and peoples in this world by actively seeking solidarity with one another. Amen.