Emory has received the 2013 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award, which honors U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to building a diverse and inclusive campus community.  

The only national recognition of its kind for institutions of higher learning, the HEED award is presented annually through INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, which has covered issues of diversity in higher education for the past 40 years.  

The award recognizes an institution’s "superior level of achievement and commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives and programs; student recruitment, retention, and completion strategies; and faculty and staff hiring and retention practices," according to publisher Lenore Pearlstein.  

Emory was selected for the honor through a comprehensive assessment that involved an examination of campus diversity and inclusion initiatives, including areas of gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT community.  

"This is a positive step for Emory," says Dona Yarbrough, associate vice provost for community and diversity. "It reflects the fact that Emory has been fully engaged through its strategic efforts to create traction in the area of community and diversity."