INSIGHT AWARDS

Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award

Undergraduate Institution HEED Award

🔹 Award Summary

The HEED Award honors colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada that demonstrate a strong, sustained commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and community-building across all levels of campus life.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

This prestigious award celebrates institutions that have implemented comprehensive strategies to support student success, inclusive hiring, and welcoming learning environments. Applications are evaluated across recruitment, retention, policy, programs, leadership, and climate.

💡 Why Apply: The Value of Recognition

Earning the HEED Award places your institution among a nationally recognized cohort of changemakers. This distinction boosts your institution’s reputation, signals your values to students and faculty, and supports grant and partnership opportunities.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs. This award is open to all baccalaureate-granting institutions across the U.S. and Canada.

HEED Champion Award

HEED Champions exemplify an unyielding commitment to academic excellence and belonging throughout their campus communities, across programs, and at the highest administrative levels. A limited number of colleges and universities across the nation have been selected for this honor.

🔍 What This Honor Represents

Known for their visionary leadership, HEED Champions set the standard for thousands of other institutions striving for inclusive excellence. These colleges and universities go beyond the standard, implementing bold strategies that foster welcoming learning environments, increase representation, and drive meaningful institutional change.

HEED Champion institutions consistently rank in the top tier of Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award recipients, exceeding expectations and often surpassing their own goals. By developing and sharing successful initiatives, they serve as national models for higher education.

Learn About Past HEED Champions

Community College HEED Award

🔹Award Summary

The Community College HEED Award recognizes outstanding efforts by two-year institutions to advance inclusive excellence, foster belonging, and build meaningful connections with students, faculty, and the surrounding community.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

This award honors community colleges that make belonging a campus-wide priority — from inclusive recruitment and pedagogy to accessible student services and staff development programs.

💡 Why Apply

Community colleges face unique challenges and opportunities. Winning this award celebrates your leadership in innovation, academic excellence, and cultivating a campus of belonging.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs. Open to all U.S. and Canadian community colleges.

Health Professions HEED Award

🔹Award Summary

The Health Professions HEED Award honors U.S. and Canadian medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, and health profession schools committed to cultivating community, belonging, and inclusive excellence in healthcare education.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

This award highlights institutions that address health disparities, and build pipeline programs for historically excluded students in the health professions.

💡 Why Apply

It positions your school as a leader in inclusive healthcare education, enhances your public and professional reputation, and opens doors to collaboration and funding.

Each Award recipient receives complimentary access to the HEED award logo for promotional use in print and online marketing materials. Other items are available for purchase.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs. Open to all U.S. and Canadian health professions schools.

Graduate and Law School HEED Award

🔹 Award Summary

These category-specific awards recognize graduate and law schools that demonstrate excellence in cultivating belonging and academic excellence across advanced education programs.

🔍 What These Awards Recognize

Applicants showcase inclusive recruitment, diverse faculty hiring, student support services, and academic environments where all students can thrive.

💡 Why Apply

Being honored reinforces your school’s mission and enhances your ability to attract top students, faculty, and institutional partners.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs. Open to all U.S. and Canadian graduate and law schools

Learn More about the HEED Award, Including Past Recipients

Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award

🔹 Award Summary

The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award honors institutions that foster a culture of mental health wellness and belonging by providing innovative support for the emotional well-being of students, faculty, and staff.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

Awardees demonstrate campus-wide integration of mental health initiatives, including accessible services, peer support, emotional resilience, and proactive policy.

💡 Why Apply

Recognition confirms your commitment to whole-person success — something prospective students, faculty, and funders increasingly value.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs.

Inspiring Programs in Business Award

🔹 Award Summary

The Inspiring Programs in Business Award celebrates programs that actively recruit, support, and empower underrepresented students in business education and prepare them for inclusive leadership.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

Nominees include bridge programs, mentorships, partnerships, and pipeline efforts that are evidence-based, scalable and focused on building long-term inclusion in the business sector.

💡 Why Apply

This award honors your commitment to workplace belonging and strengthens your institution’s brand in business innovation and social responsibility.

You will get: 

  • Free, high-resolution downloadable logo to use for marketing, grant applications, fundraising, etc.
  • Matte press release announcing your honor
  • Your award-winning program will be profiled in the April 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs.

This award is open to:

  • Higher Education Accredited Business Schools
  • Companies
  • Business Organizations
  • Nonprofits

This year’s recipients are featured in the April 2025 Issue. The 2026 application will be available in October 2025.

Inspiring Programs in STEM Award

🔹 Award Summary

The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award recognizes impactful programs that support historically excluded students in science, tech, engineering, and math — from K–12 pipelines to college retention and career readiness.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

Applicants may include mentorship, internship, corporate partnerships, and summer bridge programs focused on advancing belonging and innovation in STEM fields.

💡 Why Apply

Your program gains national visibility and serves as a model for institutions seeking to address systemic underrepresentation in STEM.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs.

View the list of 2025 recipients here

Download the 2025 STEM Award Press Release

The 2026 application will be available in January 2026.

Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award

🔹 Award Summary

The Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award honors academic libraries that lead in advancing belonging, accessibility, and inclusive learning environments through research, technology, exhibitions, and outreach.

🔍 What This Award Recognizes

LEAD Award recipients show innovation in removing barriers, building connections, and reimagining how libraries create community on campus.

💡 Why Apply

Recognition affirms your library’s critical role in inclusive learning and positions you as a model for peers nationwide.

Participation is free; there are no hidden costs.

This year’s recipients are featured in the March 2025 Issue. The 2026 application will be available in October 2025.