Augustana awarded fifth HEED recognition for diversity excellence

Augustana College is a 2024 INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award winner. This marks the college's fifth time earning this national recognition, highlighting Augustana's continued commitment to creating a thriving diverse campus community.

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine's Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. Augustana is one of this year's 114 awardees that will be recognized in INSIGHT's November/December issue. 

"It is an honor to once again be recognized for the work we do at Augustana College in cultivating a rich, inclusive experience that fosters engagement and opportunity for all," said Dr. Gauri Pitale, Augustana's vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. "I am proud that Augustana continues to set the standard in responding to the evolving needs of our diverse community."

This fall Augustana enrolled 2,556 students, including 24% domestic students of color and 20% international students. Newly enrolled and transfer students this fall included students from 26 states and 33 countries. International students make up an unprecedented 25% of the Class of 2028, with the top represented countries being Ethiopia, Morocco, Nepal, Vietnam and Pakistan.

Dr. Pitale wrote the application for this year's HEED application, sharing information about the college's many inclusive initiatives and programs aimed at recruiting and retaining diverse students and faculty.

"From signature events like the Culture Houses Block Party and Shades of Beauty, to the daily efforts of supporting students' academic and social needs, Augustana College continues to strengthen its commitment to creating an inclusive space for all," Dr. Pitale said.

She said beyond student programming and recruitment efforts, Augustana is also taking steps to increase the number of its diverse suppliers and taking other equity-focused initiatives.

In addition to diversity support, Augustana continues to provide financial support that opens doors for students. This includes 214 total Pell Grant recipients awarded to newly enrolled students. These federal grants are awarded to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.

This is the second year the college has awarded Augustana Possible grants to high achieving students from families with financial need. The average Augustana Possible award is $7,551, helping qualifying students meet 100% of their demonstrated financial need.

Augustana's Office for DEI was established in March 2018 in response to increases in the number of enrolled students of color and international students. In 2017-18, Augustana enrolled 2,640 students, including 20% domestic students of color and 7% international students.

Augustana President Andrea Talentino said the college is continuing to ensure campus is a place that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds.

"It's exciting to be recognized for this award," said President Talentino. "We're especially proud of the rich cultural diversity in our student body and our focus on accessibility for domestic and international students. We will continue to build upon our successes and keep Augustana at the forefront of diversity efforts."

For more information about the 2024 HEED Award, visit insightintodivesity.com.