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Important Policies

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Milton Hershey School does not discriminate against applicants or employees, in hiring, promotion or any terms or conditions of employment, on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex (including sexual orientation/gender identity), age, religion or religious creed, veteran status, disability or use of a guide or support animal because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals, or any other status protected under applicable federal or Pennsylvania law.

Non-Discriminatory Policy

Qualified students are eligible for admission regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex (including sexual orientation/gender identity), religious creed, disability or any other status protected under applicable federal or Pennsylvania law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Milton Hershey School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex (including sexual orientation/gender identity), religious creed, disability or any other status protected under federal or Pennsylvania law, in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Diversity in Education

Milton Hershey School is committed to providing equal opportunity in all programs and services, including admissions, and to compliance with all applicable laws. Qualified students are eligible for admission regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex (including sexual orientation/gender identity), religious creed or disability.

Milton Hershey School is also deeply committed to diversity. Our appreciation of diversity is rooted in our Sacred Values of integrity, positive spirit, commitment to mission, and mutual respect. Diversity training is mandatory for all adults. But we also believe that students need exposure to diverse individuals, cultures, ideas, and viewpoints to develop the 21st Century skills needed for success in today’s global marketplace. The School’s curriculum and programming are designed to complement the core academic curriculum by providing students with exposure to diversity in a variety of contexts, but not limited to:

  • The International Service/Education and Global Understanding Program
  • The School History, Multicultural and Global Understanding and Diversity Studies
  • The MHS Viva Diversity Club, and
  • The Year-Round Experience Program.

Equally important, interaction among students who have different perspectives and life experiences can raise the level of academic and social discourse both inside and outside the classroom. Research shows that learning environments comprised of students from diverse backgrounds provide an enhanced educational experience. This kind of rich educational environment can help students sharpen their critical thinking and analytical skills. These benefits undoubtedly contribute to the educational, economic, and civic life of this nation. Schools that lack a diverse student body or are racially isolated (i.e., composed overwhelmingly of students of one race) do not provide the experience that diverse K-12 schools can offer, and the academic achievement of their students may lag behind that of their peers at more diverse schools. Therefore, it is widely acknowledged today that efforts to achieve a diverse learning environment are consistent with providing equal opportunities.

In making decisions regarding recruitment, selection for interview, and admission, the Milton Hershey School looks at many different factors, including how a student will contribute to the diversity of the student body. We do not use a narrow definition of “diversity.” Although preference is given during the admissions process first to applicants born in Dauphin, Lancaster, and Lebanon Counties, and then to those born elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the School enrolls students from everywhere in the United States. The School seeks students from a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas; students of diverse races, ethnicities, and religions; and students with a range of interests, abilities, and disabilities. The School does limit enrollment by grade and sex (based upon available housing). The School does not use quotas to achieve diversity but is guided by benchmarks such as the profiles of students in poverty in Pennsylvania.

Milton Hershey School Anti-Hazing Policy

MHS fully complies with the Pennsylvania Anti-hazing Law and has adopted an Anti-hazing Policy that applies to all students, student applicants, staff, volunteers, and student organizations (recognized and unrecognized) at MHS. MHS believes that hazing is contrary to its teaching of human dignity and contradicts an environment of friendship, maturity, and charity within its school community. Anyone found responsible for violating this Anti-hazing Policy may face disciplinary action, including criminal charges under state law. The Anti-hazing Policy, and MHS’s compliance with the Anti-hazing Law, does not supplant or mitigate the School’s compliance with the Child Protective Services Law, including that law’s mandatory-reporting requirements, as set forth in the School’s Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Policy 5.03. For more details on hazing definitions, prohibited conduct, complaint reporting procedures, enforcement, and sanctions, please see Policy 5.25.

Milton Hershey School does not discriminate in admissions or other programs and services on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religious creed or disability. Read important MHS policies on equal opportunity and diversity, equal employment opportunity, and more.