WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester University has once again been honored with the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award by Insight Into Diversity magazine, marking the fifth consecutive year the institution has received this national recognition. This award acknowledges the university’s steadfast dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across its campus.
Tracey Robinson, Vice President of the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at West Chester University, emphasized the significance of this accolade. “The HEED Award demonstrates engagement in a wide array of best practices, in addition to innovation and a collective commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This award is all about what we do, not just what we say,” Robinson stated. The university’s efforts to serve a diverse student body have been pivotal to this recognition.
Among the initiatives that contributed to the award are the COMPASS Program, which boasts an impressive 87% student retention rate, and the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Gordon Natural Area. The latter included new signage in both the Lenape and English languages, reflecting a collaboration with the Delaware Tribe of Indians. Additionally, the university has expanded its support services for pregnant and parenting students and launched the Moon Shot for Equity Initiative, aimed at closing equity gaps through strategic interventions.
The HEED Award process is rigorous, involving a comprehensive application that evaluates recruitment and retention strategies, leadership support for diversity, and campus culture, among other criteria. Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of Insight Into Diversity, highlighted the thoroughness required to select the award recipients, emphasizing the high standards set for institutions to achieve this honor.
West Chester University will be featured in the November/December 2024 issue of Insight Into Diversity magazine alongside 113 other distinguished institutions, celebrating its ongoing commitment to an inclusive and equitable academic environment.
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