GovState Receives 2026 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award
GovState was commended for creating a vibrant, supportive community where students from all walks of life feel seen, heard, valued, supported, and inspired to succeed.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today, Governors State University (GovState) was honored with the 2026 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from Insight into Academia magazine. The HEED Award recognizes colleges and universities that go beyond standard academic excellence to cultivate a welcoming, supportive home for all. With this award, GovState was commended for creating a vibrant, supportive community where students from all walks of life feel seen, heard, valued, supported, and inspired to succeed.
Governors State University will be featured, along with 60 other recipients, in the October 2026 issue of Insight into Academia magazine, the nation's premier higher education publication and the oldest and largest publication focused on best practices in higher education.
“The HEED Award affirms that creating a welcoming and engaged university community is not simply something we say, it is work we intentionally do,” said Dr. Joi Patterson, Chief of Institutional Engagement and Excellence at GovState. “This recognition belongs to the many students, faculty, staff, and leaders across GovState who help create a campus where people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.”
Echoing that sentiment, Lenore Pearlstein, Co-Publisher of Insight into Academia magazine, noted that GovState stood out for its intentional approach to student success and community:
“Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus. We use a detailed scoring process as well as a holistic approach to reviewing each application to determine who will be named a HEED Award recipient.”
For more information about Governors State University, visit govst.edu. For more information about the 2026 HEED Award, visit insightintoacademia.com.
Governors State University (GovState), recently voted the Best in the Southland, is a 4-year, comprehensive institution of higher education located in Chicago’s Southland. GovState serves nearly 4,500 students in four academic colleges: Arts and Sciences, Health and Human Services, Business, and Education and Human Development. Home to 2025-26 Men’s Basketball CCAC champions, GovState hosts 16 athletic teams.