SONHS Receives 2016 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award

The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies (UM SONHS) has been selected as a recipient of the 2016 INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.
The HEED Award is the only national honor for higher education diversity in the U.S. It recognizes U.S. dental, medical, nursing, osteopathic, pharmacy, and allied health schools that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. The UM SONHS has a minority student population of 56%, and also exceeds national averages in terms of male faculty and male student enrollment.

HEED Award institutions are selected based on their exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives that focus on all aspects of diversity, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community. The application process for the award, open to all colleges and universities across the U.S., measures an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff. Each HEED Award recipient receives a certificate, copies of the HEED Award issue, and complimentary access to the HEED award logo for promotional use in print and online marketing materials.

“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,” says Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “While we look at numbers and expect continued improvement for those schools that receive the HEED Award year after year, we also use a holistic approach in reviewing each application. 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.”

SONHS Dean Nilda (Nena) Peragallo Montano said, “I am tremendously proud of our program’s selection for the HEED Award. This accomplishment reflects our vision and commitment to enhancing excellence and diversity at the School of Nursing and Health Studies, and to providing the best possible educational opportunities for all students.”

The 2016 Health Professions HEED Award recipients, including the School of Nursing and Health Studies, are listed on the organization’s website: www.insightintodiversity.com/about-the-heed-award/. The newly selected HEED Award schools will also be highlighted in the December issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.