ADELPHI, Md. (Sept. 1, 2016)—University of Maryland University College today received the 2016 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—UMUC will be featured, along with 82 other recipients, in the November 2016 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

“We have found that members of our community are eager to learn and engage in discussions about diversity and inclusion,” said Blair Hayes, UMUC’s vice president and chief diversity officer. “It is our mission to continuously provide offerings and programs that expand the way people think and provide them with diversity skills that can further their growth and development.  The Office of Diversity and Equity serves students, faculty, and staff across the United States, Europe, and Asia with a desire to truly be global citizens who embrace the differences that each of us bring to the classroom and the workplace.”

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected UMUC because of its efforts in student and faculty recruitment and retention, diversity planning and accountability strategies, diversity training and awareness programs, internal and external diversity communications plans, and ADA compliance and accessibility services offerings.

“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 holistic 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 accomplished every day across their campus.”

Other recipients of the 2016 HEED Award are:

Anne Arundel Community College

Arizona Summit Law School

Augusta University

Ball State University

California State University San Marcos

California State University, East Bay

California State University, Fresno

California State University, Northridge

Capital Community College

Case Western Reserve University

Central Michigan University

Cleveland State University

Columbia University in the City of New York

Cuyahoga Community College

Davenport University

DePaul University

East Carolina University

Eastern Kentucky University

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

El Paso County Community College District

Florida Coastal School of Law

Florida State University

Framingham State University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia State University

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

Highline College

Houston Community College

Indiana University-Bloomington

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Kansas State University

Kennesaw State University

Kent State University

Louisiana State University and Agricultural

and Mechanical College

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Miami Dade College

Millersville University

Northeastern University

Northern Arizona University

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)

Oklahoma State University

Rochester Institute of Technology

Saint Louis University

San Diego State University

Seminole State College of Florida

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Southwestern Law School

St. Cloud State University

Stockton University

SUNY Buffalo State College

SUNY System Administration

Texas Tech University

The Pennsylvania State University

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The University of Georgia

The University of South Carolina

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Toledo

Union College, NY

University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Central Florida

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Houston

University of Houston Law Center

University of Illinois at Chicago

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Louisville

University of Massachusetts Boston

University of Massachusetts Lowell

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Florida

University of Oklahoma

University of Vermont

University of Virginia

University of West Florida

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

and State University

West Virginia University

Western Michigan University

Whitworth University

Widener University

For more information about the 2016 HEED Award, visit www.insightintodiversity.com.

For more information about UMGC, visit www.umgc.edu.