CAROLYN JONES ’73:

Engaging a Community of Passionate Thinkers and Doers

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Carolyn Jones ’73 (P ’14) first stepped onto Baldwin’s campus in 1968. She was part of a visiting day, when 10 girls from her Philadelphia public school spent a day here (and 10 Baldwin girls spent the day at her public school). “It was such an eye-opening experience,” said Carolyn. “The small classes, the uniforms, the dining hall … everything! I loved it!”

At the end of their visit day, students met with a counselor to discuss their impressions of the School. Carolyn’s first question was how could a girl like her go to a school like Baldwin. Fast forward over several months of testing and visiting, she was accepted into Baldwin!

“I was the first girl of color in my class,” she explained. “That fact did not make for a negative experience. I believe it was because of the times we were living in, where many were open and curious about all the ways we are different, as well as an inclination toward making positive changes in our world. I, along with my classmates, felt comfortable asking questions, as well as challenging each other, in the classroom and of each other.”

For Carolyn, Baldwin accomplished what she and her parents expected – for her to be academically prepared for college. But Carolyn also developed some deep relationships and friendships with classmates and faculty that still exist today.

“I just celebrated my 50th Baldwin reunion, and it was so wonderful to spend a few days with classmates, some of whom I hadn’t seen since we graduated,” Carolyn said. “As an alumna, and a parent of an alumna, as well as a board member several times over the past 20 years, I was curious to hear how many classmates experienced Baldwin now, as opposed to when they were students. Overwhelmingly, my classmates felt Baldwin had continued to grow and was a great experience for students.”

Coming Back to Baldwin

For Carolyn, joining the senior leadership team as the Director of DEI feels like a full circle moment. “I was easing out of over 20 years in global corporate settings and even though I wasn’t ready to retire, I wanted a chance to share my years of experience in the field of global DEI with a school I value and appreciate,” she stressed. “Baldwin is not perfect (what organization is?) but Baldwin is committed to ensuring we create an environment where all feel connected and included.”

Carolyn appreciates the energy of the student population, their excitement around learning and their willingness to push and challenge themselves and each other. She also appreciates the faculty and staff’s commitment to Baldwin’s mission and vision, and particularly Head of School Lynne Macziewski and her passion for excellence in education and for the work of DEI. “I’ve also enjoyed connecting with parents and listening to their views on their daughter’s Baldwin experience,” she noted. “I’m experiencing Baldwin as a community of passionate thinkers and doers.”

In her new role, Carolyn looks forward to strengthening Baldwin’s alumnae engagement, particularly with those of color. “I’ve talked to many alumnae over the years and sometimes it’s disheartening to hear some say that once they got their diploma, they had no intention of staying connected to Baldwin,” Carolyn lamented. “I use any and all opportunities to encourage all alumnae to come back. The students look up to them. They love seeing someone who looks like them leave Baldwin and go do incredible things in the world. Regardless of your experience here, you can have a wonderful and long-term impact on the students who will come behind you. I encourage everyone to give their time and their experience. Come back to Baldwin!”

DEI Work at Baldwin

Carolyn’s approach to DEI work at Baldwin is about inclusion, respect, collaboration, connection and the journey of discovery.

“I’ve spent 30+ years in global leadership, education, learning, professional development and DEI,” she explained. “For me, I always look at this work through a global lens. The issues and challenges are not just U.S. based, nor are they only about race and gender identity. They are about nationality, religion, culture, generations, various forms of physical and social ability, socio-economic status and many others. So, DEI work must cast a broader net than it’s sometimes perceived.”

Carolyn enjoys working with members of the Baldwin community and will build a DEI roadmap that supports the School’s vision and mission. She also hopes she can serve as a resource for creating and strengthening an environment where everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging.

DEI Tenets

“In any DEI role I’ve had, I like to establish a set of tenets that inform others around my approach to this work and what I focus on when it comes to making decisions,” Carolyn explained. “I’ve established a set of tenets that describe my work and the work that comes out of my office.”

A few of those tenets include:

1. We cultivate cultural competence and capacity in all. We focus our expertise on learnings, tools and resources to be leveraged across our communities; this focus allows our communities to communicate, connect with, empower and encourage each other in meaningful ways.

2. We build the Baldwin brand through community and impactful stories. We engage in work that helps communities celebrate their value and to share their stories.

3. The good/bad binary is a myth. We build experiences that encourage a culture of lifelong learning. Our work fosters a foundation of curiosity. This focus, at times, may create levels of discomfort, but will encourage healthy friction around the subtle and nuanced work associated with DEI.

4. We lead with intersectionality. We recognize that identities are multi-dimensional. We understand that no community is monolithic, therefore we build experiences and resources that reflect this nuance; and we advocate for individuals beyond a singular identity in order to meet them at their intersections.

One effort Carolyn has promoted is professional development programming for faculty and staff. “Pollyanna, Every Voice Matters” is a non-profit organization that Baldwin has partnered with for a few years within the Lower School curriculum. This year, Pollyanna launched a monthly workshop series for faculty and staff and is led by a team of inspiring and knowledgeable educators. Each session is conducted over Zoom and offers insights, resources and strategies about essential diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging topics in school communities. Carolyn also started “Mindful Moments,” which are bite-size audio learnings for the entire Baldwin community. “This is a project close to my heart,” she expressed. “I believe focusing on mindfulness offers us a chance to be aware of what we’re experiencing and practice conscious intentionality. Mindfulness strengthens our ability to practice inclusive behaviors like self-awareness, curiosity and empathy. This translates to understanding our mind, managing our reactions and filters, and viewing the concept of mindfulness through a DEI lens. This effort is a cross-community collaboration, including students, faculty, staff and parents.”

Apopular Asian proverb asserts that it’s better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times.

When Class of 1960 alumna Ellen Phillipps Wales suggested a travelrelated gift for her class’s 50th reunion, she had that sentiment in mind. “When my parents took me to Europe when I was 13, it made my classes back at Baldwin so much more meaningful,” Ellen said. “History came alive after seeing where it had occurred, and it became so much easier for me to understand the significance of what I was learning.”

Ellen’s classmate, Mary French, agreed. “We realized that Baldwin offered many opportunities to travel abroad,” she recalled. “We also realized trips were expensive ‘extras’ and thought we could level the playing field to make travel affordable for all.” With that in mind, the class agreed to focus their reunion gift on making similar experiences more accessible to Baldwin girls whose families may be unable to take advantage of travel opportunities.

With the support of their fellow alumnae, the idea took flight. The Class of 1960 Global Fund for Girls was established in May 2010 and has gone on to benefit dozens of Baldwin students. The endowed fund assists students with financial needs, allowing them to participate in Baldwin's global courses, trips and other initiatives, with a focus on travel and living expenses associated with experiences abroad.

The travel opportunities made accessible by the Global Fund for Girls begin in Middle School and expand when students reach the Upper School. Baldwin girls can visit Quebec and Puerto Rico in seventh and eighth grade, where they engage with different cultures and practice their language skills. Once they reach the Upper School, longer journeys to more varied locales become available.

Through The French Exchange Program, established by Baldwin, Shipley and Lycée Notre-Dame de Mongré in Villefranche-sur-Saône, students enjoy an immersive visit to France before welcoming French students to attend classes at Baldwin and live with students and their families.

“This wonderful program is the highlight of our students’ French studies at Baldwin,” said Languages Department Chair and French Teacher Josiane Mariette (P ’17). “While in France, our students discover all they have been learning in class through the French language, culture and literature. They seize countless opportunities for personal growth and maturity as they navigate this life-enriching experience.”

“I am immensely thankful for the invaluable experience of participating in the French Exchange trip. This journey provided me with the perfect environment to enhance my French language skills, while also offering an immersive encounter with French culture and the forging of lifelong friendships,” said Darya Dumon ’24.

At the same time the French students were enjoying their trip, another Baldw in contingent was spending their spring break in southern Spain.

Spanish teachers Tanya Berrios and Diana Sacerio (P ’03) accompanied 15 students during the nine-day trip to Benalmádena, a town near Málaga, on the Costa del Sol. The students were presented with intensive opportunities for immersive language practice, living with families who spoke little to no English and studying and traveling with a guide who conversed with them in only Spanish.

“It was amazing that we not only got to immerse ourselves in the culture (historical sites, beautiful buildings, architecture), but we also got to meet and interact with native speakers,” said Amara Okechukwu ’24. “One of the most memorable aspects of the trip was our teacher/guide who only spoke Spanish with us. We quickly became comfortable conversing with her both in and out of class.”

Beyond language immersion and gaining cultural knowledge, travel allows

Baldwin girls to share their talents on new stages. In addition to living with Danish families and attending classes during a trip to Denmark, the B-Flats a cappella group, along with the Haverford School Notables, enjoyed a musical exchange with Ordrup Gymnasium. The trip was an extensive performing tour, during which the students sang daily at schools, churches and castles, some dating back to the 12th century. “It's always a gift to meet people who share the same love for music, and it made us realize how small the world is,” said Anna Altman ’24. “It was an incredible experience and I miss it every day."

“In all these various travel experiences, there is an opportunity to learn how people are similar or different,” said Mary French ’60. “There’s an opportunity to evaluate assumptions about how one should or shouldn’t live; an opportunity to expand ideas about what is possible, to be more humble and more accepting of others and yourself.”

Throughout the past 13 years, the Class of 1960 has seen their gift manifest invaluable experiences for many Baldwin girls. The ripple effect of this initiative, like the impact of travel itself, is incalculable. However, the actual value of the Class of 1960’s generosity will be realized in the coming years as the investment in cultural fluency shapes the next generation of Baldwin girls in their journey to becoming global citizens helping to build a more just and equitable world.