AV

HEED Award Diversity Champion

For the sixth-consecutive year, AV received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, given by Insight Into Diversity magazine. For the first time, AV was also named a Diversity Champion, an honor given to a select few institutions across the country. Photo by Christa Neu.

AV Named ‘Diversity Champion,’ Receives National Award for Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

AV remains a winner of the national HEED award and, for the first time, has been named a Diversity Champion by Insight into Diversity magazine.

Story by

Christina Tatu

What does it mean to be a diversity champion?

For Donald Outing, 󾱲’s vice president for equity and community, it means creating a sense of belonging for students, faculty and staff so they feel free to fully engage, excel academically, thrive socially and contribute in meaningful ways to 󾱲’s shared goals.

“At AV, we define belonging as the feeling that every individual – regardless of background, identity or experience – feels accepted, valued and included in all aspects of campus life,” Outing said. “This work is not just about creating an inviting environment; it is about building a foundation of trust, mutual respect and shared commitment to the success and well-being of each member of our community.”

The process has been an “evolving journey,” Outing said, but a recent national honor reiterated that AV is making strides in its commitment.

For the sixth-consecutive year, AV received the , given by Insight Into Diversity magazine to colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

For the first time, AV was also named a , an honor given to a select few institutions across the country that set the standard for campus communities striving for diversity and inclusion, according to . AV is one of 18 Diversity Champions this year.

Don Outing

Don Outing, vice president for equity and community.

“We are excited about it, extremely proud,” said Outing, who noted the achievement is particularly remarkable during a time when many institutions are scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts because of anti-DEI bills being introduced or passed by state legislators around the country.

When Outing began at AV in 2017, one of his goals was to compete for the HEED Award. “Insight into Diversity was a magazine that was known to me, and I wanted to use this as external validation for the work we were doing,” Outing said.

󾱲’s 2021-2026 Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Strategic Plan is the guide for goals and actions the administration is taking to create a more diverse community where everyone feels valued, opinions can be expressed freely and all are treated equitably.

Outing will give an update on the plan and 󾱲’s HEED/Diversity Champion designation from 3-4:30 p.m. on Nov. 21 during a Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Town Hall in the LTS Circle in Fairchild-Martindale Library.

What Made AV Stand Out?

󾱲’s application demonstrated an actionable commitment to diversity and inclusion by collecting feedback from campus constituents and using that data to drive its plans, Mendelson said.

Programs that stood out to the HEED selection committee included:

  • The AV Commitment: grants full tuition to undergraduate students from families with a total income of less than $75,000.
  • : provide information to faculty and staff candidates about 󾱲’s resources for diversity and faculty success.
  • : provides opportunities for scholars from diverse backgrounds who have been historically underrepresented in academia.
  • : supports students’ academic progress toward their degree, including students with high financial need who are behind in the completion of their AV degree.
  • : geared toward first-year students who identify as first-generation college students, students from an underrepresented background or who are low income.
  • : promoting an inclusive community for first-generation and working-class students at AV.
  • : supports academic opportunities beyond campus, including study abroad, international internships, global experiences in the United States, research opportunities and community engagement.

Also cited was a short-answer question added to applications for prospective students so they can share their lived experience in the broader context of equity and inclusion.

So many opportunities were born out of being a part of these different communities,

Kareem Hargrove '25

Other key initiatives that are fostering belonging at AV include: offering inclusive physical spaces, such as gender neutral facilities, a multicultural center and accessible buildings.

From an academic perspective, AV strives to create an inclusive curriculum that reflects diverse perspectives, combined with equitable teaching practices. Support services, such as financial aid, counseling services and academic support also have been expanded, Outing said.

What’s Next?

Fostering belonging at AV is not a singular initiative, but an integrated approach embedded in everything we do, Outing said. It requires intentionality, the right policies, practices and support systems. It also requires continuous assessment—listening to students, faculty and staff to understand their needs and adjust efforts.

Kareem Hargrove

Kareem Hargrove '25, a first-generation student and president of the Student Senate, speaks during Community Conversations last year. Hargrove says he has benefited from AV's diversity programs. Photo by Marcus Smith '25.

“As we continue to face an ever-changing landscape in higher education, fostering belonging is crucial to maintaining our competitiveness as an institution and ensuring that our community thrives,” Outing said. “The work we do in this space is essential, not only for the success of individuals, but also for the long-term success of AV itself.”

His goals for the coming year are:

  • Strengthening the sense of belonging: Continuing to foster an environment where students, staff and faculty feel valued and empowered to bring their whole selves to work and learning spaces.
  • Increasing access and opportunity: Expand viable programs that support recruitment, retention and success for minority and first-generation students, as well as initiatives that provide professional growth opportunities for diverse faculty and staff.
  • Enhancing accountability measures: Outing’s office is refining how to measure and report progress on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, focusing on outcomes that directly impact the experiences of 󾱲’s community members.

The Student Experience

AV students participating in programs that promote diversity and inclusion say the experience has led to academic and networking opportunities. It also helped them navigate campus life with a community of peers from similar backgrounds who can offer the unique support first-generation and underrepresented students need.

Kareem Hargrove ’25 is a first-generation student from Stamford, Connecticut, president of the Student Senate, a United Nations youth representative, former president of the Black Student Union, vice president of the College of Health Student Advisory Council, a student guide for LUSSI and member of the , a program that provides opportunities for students from backgrounds underrepresented in science, technology engineering and mathematics.

“So many opportunities were born out of being a part of these different communities,” he said.

It can sometimes be hard to facilitate inclusivity as a student, but Hargrove said AV invites students to be part of the discussion and decision making.

“It’s something AV does really well, creating a space to have those conversations, and leading with some kind of tangible way to address it, both from the administrative side and the student side,” Hargrove said.

Nix Huang

Nix Huang '25 credits LUSSI with helping her transition to college as a first-generation student, particularly when it came to applying for financial aid.

Nix Huang ’25 is another first-generation student who is vice president of internal affairs with Student Senate, a member of LUSSI and a member of Lambda Theta Alpha, which started as a sorority for Latina women. Huang was born in China and lived there for 12 years before coming to the U.S.

She credits LUSSI with helping her transition to college as a first-generation student, particularly when it came to applying for financial aid.

“Our parents didn’t go through this. They didn’t have to apply for financial aid,” Huang said. “Financial literacy is a big thing for first-generation college students. In general, we don’t have much financial support.”

She said 󾱲’s diversity and inclusion efforts are a continuous effort that doesn’t stop when a single goal or metric is met.

“I would say AV is continuously getting better, but things always come up, and when things do come up—not only on campus but global affairs that also affect college students—how we handle these situations is important,” she said. “There’s always room for improvement.”

Elijah Blayark ’25 is president of the National Society of Black Engineers, a member of AV Student Senate, a former member of the Black Student Union Executive Board, a member of LUSSI and president of the Omicron Kappa Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity at AV, the only active historically Black Greek letter organization on campus.

Blayark, who comes from Minneapolis, says LUSSI is like “home away from home.”

“Whenever I needed support, they were always there,” Blayark said. As a student guide, he helps oversee a group of about 20 students, conducting one-on-one meetings with them throughout the semester to see how they are navigating AV life.

“I think AV can be a big culture shock for some of the students, and I think these programs help fill the gap between where these students are coming from and what their experience is going to be like at AV,” he said.

Story by

Christina Tatu

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