Eight AASCU Members Honored with 2023 AASCU Excellence & Innovation Awards

Contact:
Kellee Edmonds
(202) 478-4662

WASHINGTON, August 4, 2023—The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) today congratulates the eight member institutions selected to receive the 2023 AASCU Excellence & Innovation (E&I) Awards.

This year’s E&I Awards recognize the exemplary programs and initiatives at AASCU member campuses in the areas of civic learning and community engagement; leadership development and diversity; international education; Stewards of Place; student success and college completion; sustainability and sustainable development; and diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership.
The E&I Awards program offers state colleges and universities the unique opportunity to share their inspiring work on a national platform. These initiatives were selected for their outstanding results and potential to influence and serve as models for other institutions.

The 2023 E&I Award recipients in their respective categories are as follows:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award:
  California State University San Bernardino – CSUSB President’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Board
• International Education Award:
  University of South Carolina Beaufort – Global Reach: International Competencies at the University of South Carolina Beaufort
• Leadership Development and Diversity Award:
  Utah Valley University – Leadership Competency Experience
• Stewards of Place Award:
  Oakland University (MI) – OU Pontiac Initiative
• Student Success and College Completion Award:
  Georgia College & State University – GC Journeys
• Sustainability and Sustainable Development Award – Comprehensive:
  The California State University – Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience
• Sustainability and Sustainable Development Award – Innovative:
  Weber State University (UT) – Weber State University (WSU) 5-Point Carbon Neutrality Strategy
• We the People Award: Excellence in Civic Learning and Community Engagement:
  Salisbury University (MD) – The Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at Salisbury University (PACE)

“We congratulate the winners of this year’s E&I Awards for their stellar programs and notable contributions to the higher education community,” said AASCU President Mildred García. “These institutions are paving the way in prioritizing equity and student success and moving their diverse communities and regions forward. We proudly celebrate their hard work, creativity, and dedication.”

The E&I Award winners will be recognized at the AASCU 2023 Annual Conference in Chicago this November, where presidents and chancellors from recognized campuses will be invited to share the highlights of their programs.

Winners will receive an engraved sculpture or a monetary contribution to a designated campus fund, such as a scholarship fund, on-campus food pantry, or similar initiative.

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The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association of 350 public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions Delivering America’s Promise.