University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing receives 10th consecutive Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award

The University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing has received its 10th consecutive Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine. UC College of Nursing, along with the other winners, will be featured in the magazine’s November/December 2024 issue.

According to an article on University of Cincinnati’s website, Alicia Ribar, PhD, RN, who serves as the dean of the UC College of Nursing, said of the College of Nursing’s practices and habits and how they contributed to the school’s win, "We continue to prioritize preparing nurse leaders who are not only ready to navigate the complexities of our health care system, but are also committed to serving diverse populations. Our focus is on advancing health equity, bridging gaps in care and fostering a more inclusive and diverse health care workforce."

The College of Nursing has, as of several years ago, adopted an admissions process that they believed would help diversify its pool of nursing students. Moving beyond looking solely at grade point averages and academic achievements, the process would take into consideration an applicant’s character, life experience, and motivations. The school also began conducting interviews to assess each applicant’s abilities beyond their intelligence, looking at their social skills and their behavior. The school states that in 2024, one-third of the students who were awarded entrance into the BS in Nursing program would not have qualified if the school had stuck with the traditional academic admissions process.

Other initiatives the College of Nursing is pursuing in order to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion among its programs include promoting cultural sensitivity, providing more scholarship opportunities, creating connections and promoting feelings of belonging, and helping to increase awareness of the opportunities available within the programs.

According to the website for the HEED award, the award “measures an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff.”

For more information about the University of Cincinnati, visit the school’s website.