Harper College will be closed Tuesday, November 5 in observance of Election Day.
Harper College has once again been awarded 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 2024 HEED Award – an annual, national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion – Harper will be featured, along with 113 other recipients, in the November/December 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This is second consecutive time, and fourth overall, that Harper has been named a HEED Award recipient.
“We are grateful to receive sustained recognition for our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion at Harper College. This honor reflects the persistent work of our college community to implement strategic initiatives that enhance our institutional culture and practices and strengthen our community success,” said Dr. Avis Proctor, Harper president. “As we accept this award, we acknowledge Harper employees’ enthusiastic commitment to supporting our students’ progress and success. This recognition encourages all of us to continue our efforts to promote equitable success for all students, in their studies, lives and careers.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Harper for the HEED Award based on a rigorous list of criteria. Notably, recent institutional efforts reflect the addition of new personnel and programs. In March, Dr. Sonnet Gabbard joined the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a coordinator for student diversity, LGBTQ+. In this role, Gabbard focuses on fostering a sense of community, belonging and success for the college’s LGBTQ+ community. Harper’s DEI office also launched the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Service Award, which recognizes an employee who excels at service with a personal touch. In partnership with the college’s office of Access and Disability Services, the DEI office also started an annual Disability Symposium, with a focus on the intersections of identities.
“I am delighted that Harper has once again earned the HEED Award, recognizing our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Tamara Johnson, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion. “This achievement not only reflects the work of Harper’s Office of DEI, but the collaborative efforts across all areas of our institution and underscores our intentional focus on DEI. Receiving this distinction in back-to-back years inspires us to continue addressing our equity gaps and reinforces our dedication to transforming systems and policies. Together, we can ensure that every member of our community can succeed and thrive at Harper.”
Harper serves a diverse community with student enrollment that is majority-minority, 30% Latine and more than 10% Asian American. As such, the college has been designated a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). With support from the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions Program, Harper created the HSI Program Office, dedicated to helping the college provide culturally responsive education, advising and support services to Latine and underserved student populations.
“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 — leadership support for diversity, campus culture and climate, supplier diversity, and many 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 their campus.”
Harper is one of 16 community colleges to receive the 2024 award, joining fellow Illinois colleges Joliet Junior College, Moraine Valley Community College and Rock Valley College.
For more information about the 2024 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.