PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide insight and reflections on the experience of initiating a diversity effort from the perspective of members of a university change team. The process, challenges, and recommendations for institutions that may embark on a formal initiative towards becoming a more inclusive and equitable community are discussed.Design/methodology/approachThe multicultural organizational development (MCOD) model is operationalized at this university. MCOD is a long‐term, complex, organizational change process that aims at reducing oppression that exists in institutions through a fundamental transformation of the culture.FindingsBased on the findings of the assessment, the results indicate that the university climate is trending in a positive direction. However, a gap exists between where the university aspires to be, as a multicultural campus, and the stage it is currently in with respect to four social identity areas: race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation.Practical implicationsRecommendations for helping with a successful implementation of an organizational change initiative and assisting institutions to navigate through the process more effectively are provided.Social implicationsThis paper provides an approachable, data‐driven, evidence‐based process for colleges and universities to consider to implement and measure their diversity efforts.Originality/valueThis paper draws from the unique experience of members of a change team and the utilization of the MCOD model in a faith‐based university setting, and highlights the process and the challenges that many institutions still face while implementing a diversity change effort.

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