D’Youville University Honored with National HEED Award for Health Professions

D’Youville University has once again earned national recognition — this time as a recipient of the 2025 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The award honors colleges and universities across the United States that show exceptional leadership in creating environments where students succeed, feel a strong sense of belonging, and are prepared to make a difference in their communities.

D’Youville is among only 28 institutions selected this year and will be featured in the October 2025 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity, the nation’s oldest and largest publication dedicated to inclusive excellence in higher education.

“This award reflects who we are at our core,” said President Dr. Lorrie Clemo. “For more than a century, D’Youville has been dedicated to preparing students not just for careers, but for meaningful lives of service. Today, that means building a campus culture where belonging is central and where students in the health professions are trained to carry that same spirit of compassion into the communities they serve.”

The Health Professions HEED Award is the only national recognition of its kind, celebrating universities that are leading the way in academic excellence, student support, and innovative approaches to healthcare education. In making its selection, INSIGHT Into Diversity considered D’Youville’s commitment to:

• Student Success and Retention – Programs and support systems that help students thrive academically and personally.
• Interprofessional Education – D’Youville’s unique approach that brings students from across health disciplines together to learn, collaborate, and solve real-world problems.
• Community Impact – The university’s Health Professions Hub, partnerships with local providers, and mission to address healthcare disparities in underserved neighborhoods.

The recognition underscores D’Youville’s place as one of the most comprehensive health educators in the region, with more than 35 programs across nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, public health, chiropractic, dietetics, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and more.