Gadsden State Community College News November 20, 2012 GSCC Receives Inaugural Higher Ed Excellence in Diversity Award Gadsden State Community College received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a winner of the HEED award-a national award honoring U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion-Gadsden State will be featured along with 47 other recipients in the magazine's December 2012 issue. Gadsden State President Raymond W. Staats said, "Our College is dedicated to embracing diversity and the cultural differences that make us unique. We strive to create a campus climate in which trust is established among our widely diverse population and promote activities that provide opportunities for us to learn from our experiences. Gadsden State was selected based on the institution's exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, and include all aspects of diversity including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT community. Specifically, the strong diversity plan with inclusion and support of the Diversity Advisory Council comprised of College and community members. "We hope the HEED award serves as a reminder that diversity and inclusion must remain priorities in the 21st century higher education landscape. Every college and university should recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion as being part of their everyday life on campus," said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. "Our students of today are the employees of tomorrow and the future of our country. As students begin to enter the workforce and a global society, they must first be surrounded by and supported by faculty and staff that understand the differences among cultures and their needs." Other recipients of the HEED award: Alcorn State University - Alliant International University - Capital Community College - Case Western Reserve University - Catawba Valley Community College - Davenport University - Delta College - East Carolina University - Ferris State University - Georgia State University - Hodges University - Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis - Louisiana State University - Marshall University - Michigan State University - Michigan Technological University - Millersville University - Moraine Valley Community College - New Mexico State University - Oklahoma State University - Pensacola State College - Phoenix College - Raritan Valley Community College - Southern Illinois University, Carbondale - Southwestern Law School - St. Cloud State University - SUNY System - Texas Tech University - The College at Brockport, SUNY - Trident Technical College - Tufts University School of Dental Medicine - United States Air Force Academy - University of Akron - University of California, San Francisco - University of California, Santa Barbara - University of Central Florida - University of Cincinnati - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - University of North Texas - University of South Carolina, Columbia - University of Texas at Austin - University of the Rockies - University of Virginia - Virginia Commonwealth University - Wake Forest University - Western Oregon University - William Mitchell College of Law For more information about the HEED award, visit INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine's website at www.insightintodiversity.com<http://www.insightintodiversity.com>. For more information about the Office of Diversity contact Dr. Michelle Bradford at 256-439-6822 or mbradford@gadsdenstate.edu<mailto:mbradford@gadsdenstate.edu>. Visit www.gadsdenstate.edu<http://www.gadsdenstate.edu> for more information about Gadsden State Community College. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.