AVONDALE, Arizona — Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) has received the 2015 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 — EMCC will be featured, along with 91 other recipients, in the November 2015 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
“This award signifies that a commitment to diversity is paramount to the core values of EMCC,” said Dr. Ernie Lara, President of EMCC. “We strive to create a culture of inclusiveness and awareness that supports our students’ success, not just academically, but as socially responsible citizens.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected EMCC for its innovative and expansive initiatives that are at the heart of its core values. As a Learning College, the value of learning any way, any place and any time, is the driving force behind EMCC’s success.
EMCC, one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges, is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). The campus developed a Diversity Core Values Team several years ago, comprised of employees, to drive and inspire various initiatives of inclusiveness across the campus.
All of the programs, projects, events and activities at EMCC have diversity components as measures of success. And it’s not just the administration that creates this energy of social awareness; it’s the collective of students, faculty, staff and community partners that deserve recognition for the HEED award.
Some examples of these are Inclusiveness in the Hiring Process, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Facilities Appreciation Event, Black History Month, Native American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Deaf Deaf World, Hoop of Learning, outreach and recruitment marketing, special interest and social awareness projects, arts and cultural events, and a full array of student clubs and organizations that represent the diversity of the campus.
“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. 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 a campus,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
For more information about the 2015 HEED Award, visit www.insightintodiversity.com.