Advancing Diversity: Tri-C Honored as National Leader in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Award recognizes achievement in college leadership, community and higher education

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) has received the Advancing Diversity Award from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in recognition of the College’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education and the Cleveland community.

The award was presented at the AACC Awards of Excellence Gala in New York City on May 1 as part of the AACC Annual Conference. It recognizes high achievement and advancement of best practices among community colleges and their administrators, trustees and faculty.

In accepting the award, Tri-C president Alex Johnson recognized staff efforts toward developing "inclusive excellence."

In response to the disproportionate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on people of color and low-income people, Tri-C increased access to resources and networking opportunities for students and spearheaded discussions about racial justice and social equity. The College created the Stand for Racial Justice (SRJ) alliance in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. SRJ is a task force of students, staff, faculty and community members that works to enhance and develop training and education, policies and practices, and more.

The College also created Advancing Women in Equity and Inclusion, a task force that provides students, faculty and staff of all gender identities with information, services, programming and gender equity trainings that address matters of particular concern to women.

Mike Boyko, a professor of criminal justice at Tri-C who received the AACC’s 2022 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Award in February, was also honored at the gala.

May 06, 2022

By Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu