SUNY College of Optometry Receives INSIGHT Into Diversity 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence In Diversity Award

SUNY College of Optometry Receives INSIGHT Into Diversity 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence In Diversity Award

SUNY College of Optometry received the 2024 Health Professions 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 Health Professions HEED Award — a national honor recognizing U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion — SUNY Optometry will be featured, along with 70 other recipients, in the November/December 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This is the second consecutive year that SUNY Optometry has been named as a Health Professions HEED Award recipient.

"We are honored to receive the Health Professions HEED Award for a second year in a row,” noted Dr. Joy Harewood, Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Clinical Professor at SUNY Optometry. “This award signifies our continued commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and our resolve to continue to instill the importance of health equity and inclusive excellence in our learners. While we have made significant progress, we know that this work is ongoing. The HEED award provides a renewed sense of motivation to continue to foster an environment where all students, faculty, staff and patients feel as though they belong."

“Diversity strengths our programs at the college and ultimately the profession. Healthcare professions must be diverse to reflect the populations they serve, and that diversity strengthens the profession,” Dr. David Troilo, President of SUNY Optometry, said. “Our efforts to increase diversity in Optometry begins with increasing the diversity of our students. I am pleased of what we have achieved with our diversity and inclusion programs so far, and proud that these achievements are recognized by receiving our second HEED Award. We remain committed to making the college inclusive and accessible to students from all backgrounds, strengthening our programs for all we serve.”

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected SUNY Optometry for several programs they have presented and continue to promote. These programs include: Community Book Project; Race in Optometry webinar series; on-campus Pathway programs such as CSTEP, Eye-CARE camp, and high school open houses. 

“As a student leader, I want to express my gratitude to the students, faculty and administrators who have helped cultivate an environment that embraces our differences,” stated Taylor Greaves, the National Optometric Student Association Vice President and SUNY Optometry 4th year student. “Diversity enriches our campus community, enhances learning, and encourages innovation. This award is a testament to what we achieve together. As we move forward, let us continue to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that every voice is heard and every individual feels valued. Together, we can create a brighter, more inclusive future for all.”

“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,” said 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.”

For more information about the 2024 INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.

For more information on SUNY Optometry, including the diversity and inclusion master plan, visit https://www.sunyopt.edu/about/diversity-at-suny-optometry/