Dear CC Community,

I am proud to share the fantastic news that Colorado College has received the 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

This national honor recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. CC will be featured in the November/December issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This is the first time CC has received the award. We are one of only two schools in Colorado, and one of nine liberal arts colleges nationally to receive the HEED Award this year. 

While I am thrilled to see Colorado College earn this recognition, I am even prouder of the work it represents.

Thanks to the leadership of our ADEI Team, we launched an Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan earlier this year, putting action behind our antiracism commitment. We are supporting education and engagement for students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and families through programs like the Dismantling Hate Series and the Antiracist Book Club. We are facilitating student learning, advocacy, and connection through the Butler Center, which recently expanded to include the Rochelle T. Dickey Multicultural Lounge and the Queer & Trans Collective. We are offering ADEI development for faculty and staff through on-campus opportunities and Antiracism Community Engagement (ACE) grants. Through the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, we are returning indigenous artifacts to their communities and showcasing underrepresented artists with local or regional ties.

We are expanding access to CC through admissions programs like the Stroud Scholars, Bridge Scholars, and Colorado Pledge; reinforcing our commitment to equity and belonging with our recently announced HAVEN Initiative; and involving students in activism and advocacy work through the reimagined Summer Activism Institute.

These achievements are a testament to the commitment of the entire CC community. Thank you for bringing an antiracist lens to the work you do each day, for seizing opportunities to learn, and for working to make CC an inclusive and equitable place. I’m so grateful for all of you.

Sincerely,