From Perception to Participation: How DEI Performance Mediates University Student Ideology and Engagement

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become central to nonprofit and public sector organizations, including universities, where they function not only as instruments of fairness but also as signals that shape institutional legitimacy and stakeholder engagement. This study investigates how perceptions of university- and faculty-level DEI performance mediate the relationship between students’ political ideology and their marketing-relevant outcomes, including institutional identification, word-of-mouth, academic experience, relationship development, and post-graduation engagement. Drawing on social identity theory and uncertainty-identity theory, we conceptualize DEI performance as both a signal of identity inclusion and a mechanism for reducing identity uncertainty. Survey data from 1027students were analyzed to test four hypotheses. The results demonstrate that perceptions of DEI performance differ across socio-cultural groups, and that university-level and faculty-level DEI performance exert distinct effects. University DEI influences macro-level outcomes such as identification and advocacy, while faculty DEI affects micro-level outcomes such as academic experience and relational trust. These findings extend identity-based theories into the nonprofit marketing domain by explaining why DEI initiatives produce divergent stakeholder responses. Practically, the study provides guidance for universities and other nonprofit institutions seeking to design DEI strategies that balance ideological diversity while strengthening legitimacy, trust, and long-term stakeholder engagement.