2016 Annual Conference

Rollins College is committed to multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion and the Center for Health Innovation's commitment to these goals will be described, including our forging community partnerships with organizations representing ethnic minorities, immigrant populations, and the working poor to identify and address barriers to education.

The target audience for this poster exhibit includes college and university administrators and faculty involved with promoting diversity and inclusion efforts at their institution.

This poster exhibit focuses on the Hamilton Holt School’s recruitment and retention initiatives for minority students. We have increased the number of ethnic minorities at the Holt School from 31.4% in 2011 to 39.0% in 2015 through recruitment efforts, administrative practices, and educational programs. Holt School has developed strong community partnerships with the intention of enhancing educational opportunities for local underserved populations. In 2014, the Rollins Evening Emerging Leaders (REEL) Scholarship was created to provide educational support to underserved urban youth participating in the Elevate Orlando program and Hispanic youth through a partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund. To help ensure student success, REEL student scholars participate in leadership development workshops and coaching on self-awareness, behavioral assessment, and communication effectiveness. There is a tremendous lack of diversity in the healthcare workforce as although 30% of the US population is in a minority group, only 9% of health professionals who provide their care represent a minority. Rollins College is seeking to make an impact on diversity in the healthcare workforce by recruiting minority students to pursue Rollins health degrees and become leaders in healthcare management.