The University of Georgia has been named a recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for the 11th consecutive year.
Presented by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the HEED Award reflects the university’s deliberate efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. This includes initiatives and programs that assist first-generation, rural, low-income, underrepresented, and underserved students; veterans; and students from Athens-Clarke County.
“The University of Georgia is honored to receive the HEED Award once again,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “The fact that our institution has been recognized for 11 consecutive years demonstrates our steadfast commitment to creating a welcoming environment where all students have an opportunity to succeed at the highest levels.”
Initiatives span campus
In addition to the institution-wide honor, multiple individual programs at UGA received 2024 Inspiring Programs in STEM Awards from INSIGHT Into Diversity. This award highlights programs and initiatives that encourage and support the recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
“As an institution, we are committed to creating an environment where the best and brightest students from every corner of our state and nation can learn, grow, and thrive.,” said Alton M. Standifer, vice provost for inclusive excellence and chief of staff to the provost. “The recognition that we have received from INSIGHT into Diversity speaks to the ongoing efforts by many across this campus and beyond, especially the staff in the Office of Inclusive Excellence, our university’s leadership, and our generous donors and friends.”
The College of Veterinary Medicine was honored for Ready.Vet.Go., a program tailored to middle school students from metro Atlanta and rural Macon County. A partnership with STEM Atlanta Women, the program brings students and their family to UGA for a daylong series of events, including anatomy laboratory demonstrations, clinical skills workshops and a comprehensive hospital tour.
The college’s Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory was recognized for its efforts to tackle a regional shortage of veterinarians by addressing the underrepresentation of rural students in veterinary schools. The laboratory collaborates with institutions such as Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Valdosta State University to provide career advice and veterinary school application workshops designed for 4-H, undergraduate and veterinary technology students.
The College of Pharmacy was cited for its comprehensive recruitment and retention programming for underrepresented student populations in the UGA’s four-year pharmacy program.
INSIGHT Into Diversity also recognized UGA’s Pre-Professional Advising Office for its First Responder Health Disparity Awareness Program. The office partners with first responder organizations to increase awareness of health disparities through service-learning and research while deepening students’ understanding of the many different communities they will serve in future health care roles.
In the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the department of biochemistry and molecular biology received an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award for its Excellence and Inclusivity in Biochemistry Seminar Series. The series provides talented senior postdoctoral fellows from diverse backgrounds a stage to present their research and network with faculty and students.
UGA’s Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Educational Diversity (ESTEEMED) Program was honored for its work to prepare students majoring in STEM disciplines for biomedical research careers in academia or industry.
A legacy of commitment
In addition to a wide range of programs specific to its colleges and schools, the university champions several long-standing programs designed to promote and enhance inclusivity on campus and throughout the state. Examples include the ALL Georgia Program, which helps students from rural areas navigate the transition to UGA, and Georgia Possible, a partnership between UGA and the Clarke County School District, which provides personalized training and resources to prepare Athens-Clarke County students for life after high school. The Georgia Ready Summer Institute brings high-achieving, underrepresented high school students to UGA for a summer residential program focused on research and innovation.
Additionally, several units in the Division of Student Affairs offer long-standing programs that provide tailored support and mentorship to students.
“The breadth of UGA’s programs and initiatives focused on inclusive excellence highlights our commitment to creating an environment that promotes academic excellence in everyone,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I am deeply grateful to our faculty and staff for their ongoing dedication to building a community where all students can thrive.”