Pitt Recognized for Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Pittsburgh was recognized for its work in diversity and inclusion with the INSIGHT into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. 

HEED Awards annually recognize U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate “outstanding commitment” to this work. 

“This recognition serves as a formal acknowledgment of the persistent efforts of the Pitt community to advance equity and inclusion,” said Clyde Wilson Pickett, Pitt’s newly appointed vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion. “We understand that this work cannot be done individually, it is work that must be intentional and collaborative. While this is an opportunity to pause and note our progress, we know that our work is far from over. I am excited to help continue and expand on this work, collectively, as we strive to make our campuses more inclusive and equitable for all.”

During the pandemic, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion has led a variety of virtual events to bring people together across the Pitt community and beyond—namely through its running town hall series, titled This is Not Normal: Allyship and Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19, and the Diversity Forum 2020, Advancing Social Justice: A Call to Action. In the past year, the University also adopted the Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility Policy and Procedure and will continue to offer workshops on accessibility throughout the academic year.

Pitt will be featured alongside other honorees of the HEED Award in the November 2020 issue of INSIGHT into Diversity, the oldest and largest diversity publication in higher education.