Seminole State receives 8th consecutive HEED Award

For the eighth year in a row, Seminole State College of Florida has 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 recipient of the annual HEED Award, a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, Seminole State will be featured, along with 100 other recipients, in the November 2021 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

“The College’s eighth consecutive annual HEED award reflects the consistency of faculty members’ involvement with students’ unique needs. Reshaping the curriculum approaches while maintaining rigorous academic standards leads to student engagement in cutting-edge presentations. Student-facing employees and dedicated support staff round out the Seminole State experience, and that experience is one I am proud to help deliver.” said Janet Balanoff, associate vice president for equity and diversity/Title IX coordinator at Seminole State. 

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Seminole State based on its outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across all four campuses as well as the College’s leadership role in the community.

Highlights of the College’s commitment to diversity and inclusion include:

• Being a platinum sponsor for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Steering Committee to sponsor the City of Sanford’s MLK 2021 Oratorical Contest for high school seniors. 
• LGBT+ Safe Space online training for faculty and staff members. 
• Community involvement with: 
  • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
  • African American Chamber of Commerce - Central Florida
  • United Negro College Fund 
  • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Sanford Alumnae Chapter
• Partnering with the Heart of Florida United Way Destination Graduation program to connect at-risk students with resources they need to stay in school. 
• The Joint Action Committee of employee and student leaders on Race and Social Justice to employ strategies, short- and long-term, addressing students’ and employees’ reactions. 
• The Equity Committee to advance the College’s commitment to equity as a strategic priority and serve as a resource for employees and students as they incorporate diversity, inclusion and equity into the framework, programs and culture of the College. 
• “A Time to Heal” workshops on race in America.

“The HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — as well as continued leadership support for diversity and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion," said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across campus.” 

For more information about the 2021 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.