HEED Award Recognizes College of Dental Medicine’s Commitment to Diversity
For a sixth consecutive year, the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM) received a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. Back in 2014, CDM was the first school at Columbia University and the only dental school in the nation to receive a HEED award.
The INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions HEED Award honors health profession schools across the United States and Canada that demonstrate a high level of commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive campus. Awardee selection is based on practices such as programming and outreach, student recruitment and retention, and hiring. CDM is one of 43 schools—and one of only two dedicated dental schools—to receive this award in 2019.
“It is an honor for CDM to be recognized once again,” said George Jenkins, DMD, MHA, Assistant Professor of Dental Medicine at CUMC and Assistant Dean of the Office of Access, Equity, and Inclusion at CDM. “I am incredibly proud of the work being done here to serve the needs of our students and surrounding community.”
The Office of Access, Equity, and Inclusion—formerly the Office of Diversity Affairs—was renamed in concert with Jenkins’ appointment to assistant dean earlier this year to resonate closely with the Office’s goals: to expand access to education and quality care, ensure equity in opportunity, and foster an environment of inclusion at CDM.
