EWU again named top college for diversity by Insight Into Diversity Magazine

For the second consecutive year, Eastern Washington University has been nationally recognized for its outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

EWU is the recipient of the 2019 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 HEED Award, EWU will be featured in the November 2019 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

“As an office that has been in existence for just two years we are ecstatic to receive the HEED Award for the second year in a row,” said Shari Clarke, Ph.D, vice president for Diversity and Inclusion at EWU. “This national recognition honoring colleges and universities who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion affirms Eastern’s dedicated efforts to create a climate of inclusion that celebrates, respects and values diversity.”

Clarke notes that INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Eastern because of its daily commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives campus-wide. The rigorous application process requires the university to show how it is coming up with new programs each year to reflect continued leadership support for diversity.

One such program is the monthly campus-wide workshop series Diversity Essentials, which allows students, faculty and staff to assist in identifying structural issues on campus that hinder equity. Through group exercises, participants are then asked to develop strategies to address these road blocks and create a more inclusive environment.

“The HEED Award consists of a comprehensive application process that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, said. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. 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.”