MUSC named 2023 top college for diversity and Diversity Champion by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine

For seventh consecutive year, MUSC recognized with national diversity award

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 12, 2023) – Recently, INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education, announced its 2023 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipients. For the seventh year in a row, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) was among the HEED Award recipients. 

Also, for the sixth consecutive year, MUSC was named a Diversity Champion. Diversity champions rank in the top tier of HEED Award recipients. These institutions exemplify an unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout their campus communities, infusing diversity, equity and inclusion across academic programs and at the highest administrative levels. Known for visionary leadership, diversity champions are institutions that serve as role models and set the standard for thousands of other U.S. college campuses striving for inclusive excellence. 

“It is an honor to be selected for these prestigious awards, and we are particularly grateful to have been recognized for the seventh consecutive year for the Heed Award and sixth for Diversity Champion. This is a strong reminder of MUSC’s commitment to elevating and sustaining diversity, equity and inclusion for the lives we touch,” said Willette Burnham-Williams, Ph.D., chief equity officer for MUSC.

The annual Health Professions HEED Awards – a national honor recognizing U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion – come with national recognition from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The 2023 list of Top Colleges for Diversity features 50 other recipients. MUSC and all of the other 2023 awardees will be featured in the publication’s December issue. 

“The HEED Award selection process is rigorous, assessing the recruitment and retention of students and faculty, pathway programs, community partnerships, leadership support for DEI initiatives, and a comprehensive list of other considerations,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “The winning institutions consistently demonstrate best practices and set the standards for other colleges and universities.”

To learn more about the many innovative initiatives MUSC is undertaking in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit web.musc.edu/about/leadership/institutional-offices/diversity.

For more information about the 2023 Health Professions HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com. 

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About MUSC 

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,200 students in six colleges – Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy – and trains more than 900 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $298 million in research funds in fiscal year 2022, leading the state overall in research funding. MUSC also leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $220 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Patient care is provided at 16 hospitals (includes owned and affiliated), with approximately 2,700 beds and four additional hospital locations in development; more than 350 telehealth sites and connectivity to patients’ homes; and nearly 750 care locations situated in all regions of South Carolina. In 2023, for the ninth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $5.9 billion. The nearly 26,000 MUSC family members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, students, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research and patient care.