CU Foundation Supports DEI Certificate Participation


As part of their on-going effort to support local credit unions, the CU Foundation of MD|DC is offering financial assistance for the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace certificate program offered by Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies in partnership with the MD|DC Credit Union Association. The Foundation is providing grants to help professionals who are employed by credit unions with under $500 million in assets to participate in the program. The program begins in April 2021.

“The CU Foundation MD|DC is pleased to provide assistance to local credit unions and enable them the opportunity to receive diversity, equity and inclusion certification through this program,” said Ron Shockley, Chair of the CU Foundation MD|DC.  “By paying half of the course fee for credit unions with assets under $500 million, we hope to bring this important initiative within the financial reach of local credit unions who otherwise could not afford participation. We are grateful to our generous Foundation donors for making this assistance grant offering possible”

“We are pleased to be joining with the Credit Union Foundation MD|DC and Georgetown University to offer credit union professionals the opportunity to deepen their knowledge, increase awareness, and inform individual and organizational actions to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said MD|DC Credit Union Association President/CEO John Bratsakis. “It’s a part of a multidimensional program the MD|DC Credit Union Association is offering to provide meaningful tools and resources for credit unions on their DEI journey.”

The certificate program will be live-taught online by faculty and experienced practitioners affiliated with the Georgetown Master’s in Human Resources Management program and Georgetown’s Executive Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Combining lectures, class discussions, case studies and hands-on application through projects, the program is designed as a cohort to promote a high level of interaction between participants. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will earn a Certificate in Advancing Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace. 

Participants will learn how to:

  • Prepare a solid business case for diversity and inclusion, and identify measures to prove the return on investment (ROI) of diversity and inclusion initiatives; 
  • Develop strategies and programs to attract and engage diverse talent, and achieve HR and business goals; 
  • Measure the progress and impact of diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives, using appropriate metrics and benchmarks; and 
  • Communicate about diversity and inclusion solutions, initiatives, events and progress to diverse audiences and stakeholders.

For more information on the DEI Certification program visit the MD|DC CUA’s DEI Program registration site: https://www.mddccua.org/index.php/education/dei-program.

Financial assistance information and the easy-to-complete application is available on the Foundation’s website at cufound.org/dei-grant