Today, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville received the 2014 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
As a recipient of the annual HEED Award—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion— SIUE will be featured along with 82 other recipients in INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s November 2014 issue.
“SIUE nurtures an open, respectful, and welcoming climate that facilitates learning and work,” said Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe. “Each member of the University is responsible for contributing to such a campus environment.
“We are committed to education that explores the historic significance of diversity in order to understand the present and to better enable our community to engage the future. Integral to this commitment, SIUE strives for a student body and a workforce that is both diverse and inclusive.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected SIUE based on exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity on campus, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, members of the LGBT community, as well as all others. Specifically, the establishment of the We Are One University Diversity Plan and the creation of a new Multicultural Center are evidences of the University’s commitment, said Dr. Venessa Brown, associate chancellor for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.
“We sponsor book clubs and film series to intentionally generate intellectual discussions, increase knowledge and further our understanding and value of society as a whole, and thereby broaden our view of the world,” Brown said. “Our Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion collaborates with most units on campus to ensure that we model the value of relationship building. We have created a number of mentoring programs, such as, faculty mentoring student athletes, faculty mentoring students with disabilities, and faculty peer mentoring to name a few.
“We have also established a Champion for Diversity Award. The award is presented to a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated an exemplary level of dedication to SIUE’s mission of fostering equal opportunity, positive interactions with students, staff and faculty, and who respects and values differing backgrounds and points of view within SIUE.”
“We hope the HEED award serves as a way to honor those institutions of higher education that recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion as part of their everyday campus culture,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
For more information about the 2014 HEED award, visit insightintodiversity.com.
About INSIGHT Into Diversity
INSIGHT Into Diversity, celebrating its 40th year in 2014, is the largest and oldest diversity publication in higher education today. Known for its annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, this is the only award recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across campuses. In addition to its online job board, INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine presents timely, thought-provoking news and articles on matters of diversity and inclusion across higher education and beyond. Feature stories include interviews with innovators and experts, and profiles of best practices and model programs. Readers also find career opportunities that connect job seekers with institutions and businesses embracing a diverse and inclusive workforce. Current, archived and digital issues of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine are available online at insightintodiversity.com.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottom land and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.