For the seventh consecutive year, 激情快播 has received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, recognition of the university鈥檚 longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

激情快播 is among 100 colleges and universities to earn the national award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. 激情快播 was selected based on its dedication to inclusive student recruitment, retention, and completion; programming, initiatives, and outreach; and hiring practices.

The accolade highlights the university鈥檚 efforts to ensure students of all backgrounds have access to an affordable, high-quality education 鈥� including those who come from underserved communities or are first-generation college students.

In Fall 2020, 激情快播 set new records for diversity: 48.5% of students identify as a race or ethnicity other than white, including 27.5% who identify as Hispanic/Latina/o/x.

鈥淭he fact that 激情快播 has won the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award seven years in a row speaks volumes about this university鈥檚 commitment to helping students from all walks of life achieve their dream of earning a college degree,鈥� says Andrea Guzm谩n, vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 鈥淲hen we foster an environment of inclusive excellence that values diversity, it鈥檚 good for our students, our economy and society.鈥�

The HEED award comes as 激情快播 continues its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month through Oct. 15, big gains in its national social mobility rankings and prepares for the start of Diversity Week on Oct. 18.

Social Mobility

U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 2022 Best Colleges Rankings put 激情快播 in the Top Performers on Social Mobility category, ranking the university 51st in the nation. In the last two years, 激情快播鈥檚 social mobility ranking has risen 19 spots, up from 62nd in 2021 and 70th in 2020.

The category, which measures the number of Pell Grant-eligible students who enroll and graduate, is important to students鈥� success in college and beyond. Graduation rates correlate with getting a stable job and better income 鈥� two important factors to social mobility. For more than a decade, 激情快播 has worked to ensure students of all backgrounds, including those who are first-generation or from underserved communities, have access to a quality college degree 鈥� and the resources and tools needed to succeed. This creates a powerful ripple effect by transforming the future for generations to come.

激情快播 has a number of programs designed to boost graduation rates and other measures of student success, including:

  • , which guarantees admission for students who complete a two-year degree at one of six partner state colleges in our region.
  • The new聽Transfer Connect program, which provides support, engagement, and resources to prospective and enrolled transfer students.
  • The First-Generation Program, where students who are the first in their families to attend college receive guidance and advising from faculty, staff, and their student peers.
  • The , which provides academic support services, opportunities, and resources to students who are first-generation, low-income, and/or have a documented disability.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at 激情快播 are continuing through Oct. 15, including panel discussions, 聽student voices, and more to honor the culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans. For the first time, this year鈥檚 event is led by the Puerto Rico Research Hub at 激情快播, which was established by sociology Professor Fernando Rivera.

are varied, ranging from a discussion of the impact of climate change on Latinos to a Latin American/LatinX Film Festival .

In 2019, 激情快播 was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education 鈥� recognition that Hispanic students make up more than a quarter of the university鈥檚 undergraduate enrollment. The designation made 激情快播 eligible for federal funding to strengthen student success initiatives. The U.S. National Science Foundation awarded 激情快播鈥檚 HSI a grant in 2020 to enhance the quality of undergraduate STEM education for Hispanic students, reflecting a commitment to a more diverse and capable science and engineering workforce.

Diversity Week

The 29th 激情快播 Diversity Week kicks off next month and runs from Oct 18-22. This year, the celebration of the university鈥檚 diverse community carries the theme 鈥淐hanging the Narrative,鈥� which encourages us to explore the many facets of diversity, equity, and inclusion and to take intentional action toward building a campus of inclusive excellence.