At GIV we actively create a culture of learning that promotes inclusivity among our students and staff in the following areas"
Geographic Inclusivity
First and foremost, GIV exists to reach all of the students and young artists in Vermont who seek a learning opportunity like GIV – no matter where they live. In 2022, GIV welcomed student representatives from 71 schools and homeschools spanning every county. However, Vermont’s most rural counties remain underserved in numbers, and you can help get the message out!
Economic Inclusivity
We believe that the GIV experience can be affordable and accessible to all Vermont families. Our sliding scale tuition model allows each student and their family to pay an affordable tuition amount based upon their income and special circumstances. We also offer payment plans and scholarships to ensure that any student who wishes to attend is able to.
Gender and Identity Inclusivity
The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont continues to make gender diversity one of our top outreach and recruitment priorities, while also recognizing the complex and non-binary nature of gender.
To combat historic inequities, we reach out specifically to encourage young women interested in the sciences, engineering, math and technology. Women continue to be underrepresented in these fields and deserve the same opportunities and pathways to rewarding and high-paying careers. GIV initiatives to bridge this gap include reduced tuition for all girls in STEM Institutes.
GIV has also taken a leadership role in driving statewide conversation on reversing the declining academic achievement of boys by informing and convening educators, policymakers and the media about this damaging new trend. GIV is also offering reduced tuition for boys to attend summer Institutes in the arts and humanities, fields where boys and men are traditionally underrepresented.
GIV enthusiastically welcomes and accommodates all gender identities and orientations.
Ethnic and Racial Inclusivity
GIV also prioritizes both reaching out to racial and ethnic minorities in Vermont during our recruitment season and ensuring that we are providing a welcoming environment for students and young artists from all cultures. With the generous help of the Americorps*VISTA and CEDO We All Belong programs, we have built active referral partnerships with New American communities, school diversity coordinators, and service agencies, and prioritized cultural competency training throughout all of our Institutes.
Physical Accessibility and More
We constantly strive to make our Institutes more accessible to all Vermont students and young artists. One way we are working to achieve this goal is by partnering with the colleges and universities that host our summer Institutes to ensure that educational and recreational spaces are accessible to students with physical disabilities. We also welcome many students with emotional or developmental challenges or trauma backgrounds who are good fits for GIV’s non-therapeutic, intensive residential study environment. See our other pages for more information about our accommodations for students, families, and educators.