8th consecutive Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for school

For the eighth consecutive year, the University of Minnesota School of Nursing received the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine. The school was one of only 15 nursing schools to receive the HEED Award, which honors U.S. nursing, public health, medical, dental, pharmacy, osteopathic, veterinary, and other health schools and centers that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The School of Nursing’s 2022-2023 transfer cohort was majority BIPOC and a mentoring program was expanded to deepen connections with the program, increase peer/student relationships, and help the school better understand the needs of transfer students. Student support staff and services were also increased including a full-time staff member to support Native American/Alaska Native nurses applying to and enrolled in the school’s doctoral programs.

In the past year the Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity director served in the role of educator and consultant as the school reviewed and revamped the curriculum to deeply embed diversity, equity, social justice and recognition of implicit bias and racism throughout the undergrad and graduate programs. Doctor of Nursing Practice students participate in the DNP Enhancement & Enrichment Programming (DEEP) twice each year where they hear a nationally recognized leader present about diversity and health equity topics.

Continued efforts to successfully recruit faculty from underrepresented communities and new mentoring and professional development initiatives were also cited in the school’s entry.

“The School of Nursing is unwavering in our commitment to preparing a workforce ready to advance health equity,” says Clinical Professor Barbara Peterson, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, APRN, FNAP, director of Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity. “We have made strides in recruiting and graduating diverse nursing students who will mirror our patient populations. We continue to work to ensure that every student knows their value, experiences an inclusive school climate, and is ready to contribute to eliminating health disparities.”

“The Health Professions 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 — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” says Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a Health Professions HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for schools where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”

The School of Nursing will be featured along with the 64 other recipients of the 2023 HEED Award in the November/December issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.