CHICAGO — DePaul University has received the 2014 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

The honor recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to inclusive excellence. DePaul was selected based on its exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity on campus, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community.

“Social justice and diversity have long been a hallmark of DePaul University. We have a legacy of serving underrepresented students and this award acknowledges our long-standing commitment to diversity,” said José Perales, interim assistant vice president for the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity.

“At DePaul, we aim to achieve a truly diverse environment that reflects our collective values. Our Vincentian, Catholic and urban mission is grounded within the context of valuing diversity and respecting the human dignity of each individual,” Perales noted.

Among DePaul’s efforts to build a vibrant community, the university worked with the Student Government Association and Student Affairs in 2009 to establish diversity forums that are designed to promote universitywide dialogue. In 2014, the President’s Diversity Council established a similar concept for faculty and staff.

Additionally, there are five employee resource groups that provide a sense of community and belonging for diverse faculty and staff. These include a black leadership coalition, women’s network, Asian and Asian-American professional community, Latinos empowered affinity group, and an LGBTQ network.

DePaul is one of 83 recipients of this year’s HEED award. Other notable recipients include the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Also, Virginia Tech, Kent State University, Florida State University, Cornell University, Penn State and Case Western Reserve University.

In addition to the 2014 HEED award, DePaul has been recognized for other achievements in diversity, including:

• Diversity MBA Magazine included DePaul on the 2014 list of “Top 50 Companies for Diverse & Women Managers to Work.” DePaul ranked No. 26 out of 50. (May 2014)

• Diverse Issues in Higher Education ranked DePaul the country’s No. 3 producer of bachelor’s degrees in finance and financial management services for Native American students. DePaul is No. 55 for producing bachelor’s degrees in business, management and marketing for Native American students. (November 2013)

• “Reform Judaism Magazine” included DePaul in the list of the “Top 60 Schools Jews Choose.” DePaul is No. 30 among private schools. (September 2013)

• DePaul is the country’s No. 1 producer of minority graduates who earn bachelor’s degrees in accountancy, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s 2013 rankings. The magazine also ranked DePaul 13th for bachelor’s degrees in finance and 19th for undergraduate degrees in marketing conferred upon students of color. (September 2013)

Additional information about the 2014 HEED award is online at www.insightintodiversity.com.

###