Case Western Reserve University has, for the 11th consecutive year, received INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.
Recognizing the commitment to diversity and inclusion shown by U.S. colleges and universities, this national honor was established in 2012—and has been received by CWRU each year since its inception
“Our OIDEO team is encouraged by the Insight to Higher Education‘s HEED award recognition of Case Western Reserve, and we are humbled by the important task of stewarding the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) endeavors of the university,” said Robert Solomon, vice president for the Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity (OIDEO). “President Kaler’s mantra that ‘there is no definition of excellence that does not include diversity’ resounds in our ears everyday. Moreover, his refrain that ‘there is still much work to do’ reminds us not to rest on our laurels.”
To be considered for the award, Case Western Reserve—along with 103 other institutions—completed an extensive application summarizing their diversity and inclusion initiatives.
In this year’s HEED application, CWRU showcased three programs as examples of its DEI initiatives. Líderes Avanzando, a program for first-year Latine students, uses adapted curriculum in order to help bridge the societal gaps affecting this high-potential student population, and Diversity 360—a three-hour diversity education program program required for all incoming students, staff and faculty—is a collaborative effort between OIDEO and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
The third initiative highlighted is the annual Diversity Achievement Awards, which recognize significant contributions made by faculty, staff and students aligning with a commitment to diversity through inclusive thinking, mindful learning and transformative dialogue. The awards offer an incentive to the entire campus community to participate in diversity and inclusion efforts, and to take pride in doing so.
“We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED award recipient,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity. “Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”