For the third year, Capital Community College (CCC) has received the 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 — Capital Community College will be featured, along with 91 other recipients, in the November 2015 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.  Capital was one of only ten community colleges awarded, and the only college in Connecticut honored.

“Diversity is not just what we do, it’s who we are,” said Dr. Wilfredo Nieves, president of Capital Community College. “We truly embrace and celebrate the many communities that make up the college and that enrich the CCC experience.”

Capital is one of the most diverse colleges in Connecticut and New England, with mostly students of color, and a significant number of students who have immigrated from other countries. INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Capital based on numerous best practices and leadership support.  President Nieves has consistently promoted diversity initiatives to meet the needs of the college community, and is a strong supporter of the Affirmative Action Office and the college’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

CCC holds numerous events throughout the year, such as Caribbean Literature and Arts Festival, speakers on “body positivity,” understanding the impact of sexual violence, luncheon to honor veterans, forums on racism, and fostering understanding of people with disabilities, to name just a few. Class assignments and curriculum are linked to most events. The college recently created a new Center for Language and Culture which addresses the language needs of its diverse students.  Last spring, CCC was one of three institutions in the city the Christ Church Cathedral thanked and ceremoniously blessed, for its outstanding outreach and service to the community.

Regarding the HEED Award process, Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine said “Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across a campus.”

For more information about the 2015 HEED Award, visit www.insightintodiversity.com

by Jane Bronfman