Adelphi Earns INSIGHT Into Diversity HEED Award for the Second Year

Adelphi has received the 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. This national honor recognizes universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. This is the second year Adelphi has been named a HEED Award recipient.

“Winning the HEED Award two years in a row is indicative of the work we have done and the progress we have made in this area,” said Perry Greene, PhD, former vice president of diversity and inclusion. “It is important to be dedicated to diversity and inclusion because we owe it to our students and our community to present the world as it is and will be.”

Adelphi’s 2015–2021 strategic plan, Momentum, calls for the University to be a model of diversity and inclusion. This includes a commitment to increase the recruitment and retention of diverse students. About 50 percent of the Class of 2023 identify as persons of color, making this class one of the most diverse in Adelphi’s 123-year history.

In Fall 2018, Adelphi opened the Panther Pantry to address food insecurity and help members of the campus community who are facing hardship. The system allows community members to select items anonymously on the Adelphi intranet. Other food pantries on Long Island have seen this as a model and are looking to replicate Adelphi’s innovative approach to serving those in need.

Adelphi’s First-Year Mentoring Program developed to improve the four-year graduation rate for students of color. It has provided robust one-on-one support for students from the moment they step on campus. The program’s success earned it the prestigious Eduventures 2019 Innovation Award.

Adelphi is not only committed to providing services to underserved communities but also providing safe spaces to all. The University developed an international affinity space, a Veteran Resource Center and an affinity space for students of color and allies to provide familiar, welcoming and safe spaces that maximize student retention and success.