The College of Nursing received the 2018 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, which recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, for the third year in a row.
“The College of Nursing embraces inclusive excellence as a core principle in producing the highest caliber of nurses and leaders. Our differences, shared with respect, dignity and integrity, offer learning opportunities and unlimited potential for mutual understanding, innovation and cooperation. The success of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across all of the facets of our College, sets our graduates up for success in lifelong, dynamic and responsive service to local, national and global healthcare needs,” wrote Kathy Wright, PhD, RN, CNS, PMHCNS-BC, College of Nursing chief diversity officer and Rachel Muredzwa, MSW, College of Nursing Equity and Inclusion Program manager.
The College of Nursing was among 35 institutions of higher education to receive this year’s HEED Award. The Health Professions HEED Award is the only national honor recognizing U.S. health schools and centers and is issued by INSIGHT Into Diversity, an online and print magazine that focuses on the role diversity plays in higher education.
The College of Nursing was eligible to win this award due to its high commitment to diversity and inclusion. Some of the initiatives which promote diversity on our campus include the Summer Institute for Discovering Nursing (SIDN), which strives to increase the number of students in nursing from underrepresented populations and NSPIRE, a student organization that raises public awareness of, and provides education about, healthcare inequities in underserved populations. The College of Nursing also offers a Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare certificate, which incorporates required participation in activities such as volunteering, implicit bias training, watching diversity-related videos and participating in health screenings in vulnerable communities.
As a result of receiving the HEED award, the College of Nursing will be featured in the December 2018 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
