Colorado College has received the 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from Insight Into Academia magazine.  The HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and community-building across all levels of campus life.

This is the third year in a row that CC has won the award. The college will be featured in the October issue of Insight Into Academia magazine along with 61 other recipients.

"We are deeply humbled to be recognized for the third consecutive year,” said College Diversity Officer Rosalie Rodriguez. “This recognition speaks not only to the persistent dedication of our entire community, but also to the moral imperative underpinning our work. With equity, academic freedom, and civil rights at risk, sustaining momentum requires courage, resilience, and unwavering belief in our values. This honor is an affirmation of our efforts to contribute to a more just world for all. "

Formerly known as the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, Insight Into Academia magazine announced a name change earlier this year to its magazine and its award, calling it a “name evolution,” and maintaining the platform’s commitment to inclusive excellence and belonging.

“We take a detailed and somewhat holistic approach to reviewing each application in determining who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus,” said Lenore Pearlstein, Co-Publisher of Insight into Academia magazine.

To learn more about the work being done on campus, visit the webpage for the Office of Institutional Equity & Belonging.