By University Communications
Wednesday, 11 09 2022

SAN ANTONIO — Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-San Antonio) received the 2022 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 — A&M-San Antonio is featured, along with 102 other recipients, in the November 2022 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. 

“Receiving the HEED award is indicative of how we are actively working within a shared equity leadership framework in which our entire campus community embraces a shared responsibility for advancing diversity, equity and inclusive excellence. As a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution, we recognize this as critical to achievement of our institutional mission and to supporting equitable outcomes for our largely historically underrepresented student population,” said A&M-San Antonio President Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson.   

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected A&M-San Antonio for the award as the University is purposeful in serving Hispanic/Latinx students by being intentional about their success and impacting the area in which the University serves. In fact, 77 percent of the student body is Hispanic/Latinx. A&M-San Antonio was established in large part to serve a historically underserved area of South San Antonio and the outlying areas and region, addressing longstanding and deep educational and economic disparities. The University achieved the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation in 2017 due to the significant number of Hispanic/Latinx students and in 2021 was awarded the Seal of Excelencia, which recognizes institutions for purposefully supporting the success of Hispanic/Latinx students. 

“The HEED award represents our conscious efforts to bring equity and inclusion to the forefront of our work as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It also encourages us to continue championing this work for our faculty, staff, students and communities whom we serve,” said Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Melissa Morales. “A prime example of our commitment to serving Hispanic/Latinx students is our JAG Seal program.” 

The goal of JAG Seal is to train and engage employees in shared leadership towards skills that support students, including students of color; faculty training to improve the delivery of courses; customized programs to elevate the experiences of both instructors and students; and a robust extra-curricular program to invite the participation of the community in the area to envision new directions for the future path of a continuum from childhood to adulthood. 

“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.” 

Other recipients of the 2022 HEED Award include: 

• Adelphi University
• Agnes Scott College
• Arkansas State University
• Augustana College (IL)
• Ball State University
• Berklee College of Music
• Binghamton University
• Broward College
• California State University Los Angeles
• California State University San Marcos
• California State University, Fresno
• Case Western Reserve University
• Clemson University
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University in the City of New York
• Cuyahoga Community College
• Davenport University
• East Carolina University
• El Paso County Community College District
• Emory University
• Farmingdale State College
• Florida Atlantic University
• Florida State University
• Franklin & Marshall College
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Greeneville Technical College
• Hope College
• Hudson County Community College
• Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
• Indiana University Bloomington
• James Madison University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kansas State University
• Kent State University
• Lehigh University
• Miami University
• Millersville University
• Mississippi State University
• Mount Holyoke College
• Northern Illinois University
• Northwestern University
• Ohio University
• Oklahoma State University
• Oregon State University
• Portland State University
• Princeton University
• Regis College
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Rockland Community College
• Rowan University
• Saginaw Valley State University
• San Diego State University
• Santa Clara University
• Smith College
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Southern Illinois University System
• Southwestern Law School
• Stetson University College of Law
• Suffolk University
• SUNY Old Westbury
• Swarthmore College
• Temple University
• Texas A & M University
• Texas Christian University
• Texas Tech University
• The University of Alabama
• The University of Alabama at Birmingham
• The University of Texas at Arlington
• The University of Texas at Austin
• The University of Texas at San Antonio
• The University of Tulsa
• Towson University
• Tulane University
• University at Albany
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of Central Florida
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia
• University of Houston
• University of Houston Law Center
• University of Illinois Chicago
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Kentucky
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• University of Louisville
• University of Massachusetts Lowell
• University of Missouri - St. Louis
• University of North Carolina Charlotte
• University of North Carolina Greensboro
• University of North Florida
• University of North Texas
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of South Florida
• University of West Florida
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• West Chester University of Pennsylvania
• Widener University
• William & Mary 

For more information about the 2022 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.

For more information about A&M-San Antonio, visit https://www.tamusa.edu/.

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About Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Established as a stand-alone university in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a comprehensive four-year public university that reflects the culturally diverse, heritage-rich community it serves. Situated on nearly 700 acres in south San Antonio, the University offers 37 undergraduate degrees and 19 graduate degrees to nearly 7,300 students. A&M-San Antonio is home to the Henry G. Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders and the Cyber Engineering Technology/Cyber Security Research Center. The University holds the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation and is one of only 30 higher education institutions in the U.S. to have received the Seal of Excelencia certification from Excelencia in Education for its support of Latino student success. More than 77 percent of A&M-SA students identify as Hispanic, and approximately 60 percent are the first in their family to attend college. A&M-San Antonio is a military-embracing institution; in 2020, Military Times ranked the University No. 35 in the nation for “Best for Vets: Colleges.” Visit tamusa.edu for more information. #onamission 

About INSIGHT Into Diversity

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine is the oldest and largest diversity publication in higher education today and is well-known for its annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, the only award recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across their campuses. In addition to its online job board, INSIGHT Into Diversity presents timely, thought-provoking news and feature stories on matters of diversity and inclusion across higher education and beyond. Articles include interviews with innovators and experts, as well as profiles of best practices and exemplary programs. Readers will also discover career opportunities that connect job seekers with institutions and businesses that embrace a diverse and inclusive workforce. Current, archived, and digital issues of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine are available online at insightintodiversity.com.