A-State Receives Insight into Diversity's 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award
JONESBORO – Arkansas State University today received the 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
The HEED selection was the first by Insight Into Diversity for Arkansas State, and the national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. A-State will be featured, along with 95 other recipients including universities like Clemson, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Texas and Tulsa, in the magazine’s November 2018 issue. Arkansas State was the only university from the state of Arkansas in the 2018 award listing.
"We are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion at Arkansas State," Chancellor Kelly Damphousse said. "Being mindful of inclusion is an important part of making sure that Every Red Wolf Counts regardless of color or creed. I am delighted A-State was selected for the HEED Award based on the advances we are making thanks to the leadership of Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson. I deeply appreciate the students, faculty and staff who have embraced our goals through their support of key initiatives in this area."
Insight into Diversity magazine selected A-State largely because of its achievements in attracting historically under-represented and first-generation students as part of the institution's renewed emphasis on retention, and for its efforts to recruit and support diverse faculty.
"The HEED Award is one of the most distinguished diversity awards in higher education. A-State’s inclusion as an awardee for the first-time really demonstrates the substantial progress we have made and showcases our firm commitment to advancing diversity and community engagement," stated Gipson, who is vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement. "It is my hope that we become a model of diversity best practices in the state and around the country.”
The HEED Award process consists of a rigorous application process that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of historically under-represented students and employees, as well as continued leadership support for campus diversity and inclusion.
Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of Insight Into Diversity magazine, explained, “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across their campus.”
Highlights from A-State's diversity program nomination that contributed to A-State's recognition with a HEED Award include: