Ļć½¶Ö±²„receives national Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.āĻć½¶Ö±²„ is being named a 2019 recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in U.S. higher education.
Joining 93 other U.S. colleges and universities, Ļć½¶Ö±²„is the Magnolia Stateās only higher education institutionāand one of six in the Southeastern Conferenceāreceiving the award that annually recognizes a commitment to outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts.
This yearās honorees will be featured in the November issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, which is available online at .
Ļć½¶Ö±²„Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt said the HEED Award is a significant honor for the stateās leading research university, where students have a ātremendous opportunityā to learn from and about one another.
āBeyond the demographic diversity of our campus, we continually seek to be an inclusive place where our students not only see other people who look like them but feel as if they are an integral part of the student experience,ā Hyatt said. āI believe this award shows we are moving forward with our intention to be a place where every student can succeed.ā
RaāSheda Forbes, Ļć½¶Ö±²„assistant vice president for multicultural affairs and director of the universityās Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, said āThere are many departments and individuals working to ensure that a culture of inclusion permeates through every facet of campus life, which is demonstrated through the extensive range of programming, infusion of multicultural understanding and appreciation in the classrooms, and the richness of the student body and diverse experiences our students bring to Mississippi State.ā
Forbes said many campus units help support MSUās diversity and inclusion initiatives, including the HCDC; Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion; G.V. āSonnyā Montgomery Center for Americaās Veterans; Promise, ACCESS and Thrive programs; Office of Admissions and Scholarships; and Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President.
āI think this award highlights that our university remains committed to a comprehensive approach as we continue to strive for inclusive excellence,ā she added.
For more on MSUās diversity and inclusion efforts, visit the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, ; the Division of Student Affairs, ; and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, .
Ļć½¶Ö±²„is Mississippiās leading university, available online at .