Ohio University featured in INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine November issue

Ohio University was highlighted for being awarded the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine for the third year in a row in the magazine’s November 2020 edition.

The initial announcement of the award occurred during the August Ohio University Board of Trustees Meeting, with an INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine member making the announcement.

“It is a wonderful honor for Ohio University to be recognized for the third straight year by INSIGHT Into Diversity for our accomplishments in inclusivity and diversity, and supporting all in our OHIO community,” President M. Duane Nellis said. “We must continue in our efforts to ensure a safe and welcoming place for all OHIO students, faculty and staff.”

INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine is the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The HEED Award is presented to colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada that showcase an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Alongside recognizing OHIO winning the HEED Award, the November issue highlighted OHIO’s Trans* Day of Remembrance 2019 event. The event honored more than 50 transgender people who had been recently killed around the world due to anti-transgender prejudice.

The magazine also featured OHIO’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion’s new initiative, VISIBLE, which is about shining a light on everything in order to build a diverse and inclusive community: the good work, hard truths, differences that are easily embraced and those that make people uncomfortable, barriers, and opportunities as well as the people who are or strive to be part of the University community.

“It is great to see Ohio University once again be recognized for our commitment to embracing diversity and creating inclusive spaces,” Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Gigi Secuban said. “We will continue to uplift diverse identities, experiences and perspectives by providing educational programs and initiatives and hosting events to support and empower the OHIO community.”

OHIO has multiple initiatives on campus designed to help students know they have a place of support, and to highlight the voices of people from various backgrounds, including gender, race, LGBTQ+ identity, religious and spiritual beliefs and more. Programs include the Diversity Leadership Ambassador Program, Women Leading OHIO, and the Diverse Junior Faculty Mentoring Program, which provide spaces for different populations, including students and faculty, to feel empowered by personal experiences and professional mentorship opportunities.

With pedagogical initiatives such as the Inclusive Pedagogy Academy and Keep Including, OHIO’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion also works with partners across campus to promote inclusive teaching and learning, even during these times of remote and hybrid instruction. 

The Division of Diversity and Inclusion also hosts several events throughout the year to bring awareness or talk about current events, including the Monthly Event Speaker Series, which has featured conversations such as “No/Know Equal Justice” with civil rights leader, attorney, author and media influencer Benjamin Crump and “Genetic Consequences of the Transatlantic Slave Trade” with 23andme scientists Dr. Steven Micheletti and Dr. Joanna Mountain. Recaps of events can be found on the Division’s YouTube channel.

To learn more about OHIO’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, visit www.ohio.edu/diversity.