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Local universities named top college for diversity

Eastern Washington University and Whitworth University were named recipients for the 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.

Eastern Washington University and Whitworth University were named recipients for the 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.

The national honor recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrates an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. It comes from INSIGHT into Diversity magazine, a higher education publication. As a recipient of the award, both universities will be featured with 95 select higher education institutions in a November 2018 issue of the magazine.

“I am thrilled that Eastern is receiving recognition for our commitment to inclusive excellence,” said Shari Clarke, vice president for Diversity and Inclusion at EWU.

Clarke noted the application process was extremely thorough, and the magazine selected EWU because it has diversity and inclusion woven into the campus fabric. Clarke noted the university’s Pride Center, the Multicultural Center and the many workshops and events like Dialogues on Diversity as examples of how EWU is committed to inclusion efforts.

EWU has also added a gender-inclusive housing floor, which is now home to 22 students. Room assignments are not based on gender and anyone can share a space together. All students living on this floor will also share a gender-neutral bathroom.

This is the first year Eastern has been recognized for this achievement.

RELATED: Eastern Washington University adds gender-inclusive housing floor

“We are honored to receive this recognition, and I thank and applaud the successful collective efforts of

faculty, staff, students and senior leadership,” said Lorna Hernandez Jarvis, chief diversity officer and

associate vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for Whitworth. “The university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is so strong because it is anchored on our Christ-centered rationale to seek reconciliation, peace, justice and inclusion.”

Whitworth noted that INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Whitworth based on its many efforts in the recruitment and retention of a diversified population. Whitworth noted their Intergroup Dialogue and Diversity Education program as an example of how they are committed to diversity. During the annual program, 24 faculty and staff members participate in a three day summer workshop on intergroup dialogue and diversity which is followed by monthly meetings through the academic year.

The university also said the award recognized Whitworth's student-focused diversity and inclusion programs including cultural-diversity advocates in every resident hall, peer mentoring programs for first-generation and underrepresented students and their annual diversity monologues program.

“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. “Our standards are high, as we take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient.”

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