Community, Engagement, Belonging and Access

Clemson receives prestigious Excellence in Diversity Award for the fifth consecutive year

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Clemson University received the 2021 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 — Clemson will be featured along with 100 other recipients in the November 2021 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This is the fifth year in a row Clemson has been named as a HEED Award recipient.

Clemson was also one of only 14 schools named a Diversity Champion, scoring in the top tier of all HEED Award institutions – the fourth year in a row the University has received that honor.

The HEED award is open to all North American colleges and universities and measures an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment regarding broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs and outreach; student recruitment, retention and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff.

“The HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application 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,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to review 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.”

The official description of the award states, “Diversity Champions are institutions that set the standard for thousands of other campus communities striving for diversity and inclusion. They develop successful strategies and programs, which then serve as models of excellence for other institutions. Diversity Champion schools exceed everyday expectations, often eclipsing their own goals.”

Applications are comprehensive, covering all aspects of campus diversity and inclusion. One of the application process goals is to help institutions assess their diversity efforts to build on their success and improve where necessary.