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The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) has recognized UMass Amherst as the recipient of the Institutional Excellence Award and Senior Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion Wilmore Webley as a selected fellow in the 2025-26 Academic Diversity Officers Fellows Program (ADOFP).

The two announcements were made at the organization’s 2025 Annual Conference, themed “Navigating Change: Leading through Defining Moments,” held March 5-8 in Chicago, where more than a thousand diversity professionals gathered to share strategies and recommit to DEI in higher education.

NADOHE, based out of Washington, D.C., is a membership organization designed for diversity professionals and institutions of higher education to become equipped with the necessary tools to advance equity, inclusion and the value of belonging within their campus communities, using evidence-based practices.

The Institutional Excellence Award, which UMass Amherst was awarded in the four-year public doctoral degree-granting category, celebrates institutions that demonstrate measurable progress in promoting and sustaining innovative diversity efforts within their campus community. These efforts involve, but are not limited to, institutional leadership, curricular reform, institutional transformation, professional development, assessment policies and practices, accountability measures and outreach efforts.

Each year, nominations for the Inclusive Excellence Awards are submitted on behalf of higher education administrators, scholars and institutions who are leaders in advancing inclusion by means of research, leadership and service. 

“It is a privilege to recognize this year’s Inclusive Excellence Award winners,” said Paulette Granberry Russell, NADOHE president. “At a time when diversity, equity and inclusion efforts continue to face challenges, these individuals and institutions exemplify the leadership, innovation, and unwavering commitment needed to create meaningful change in higher education. Their work is a testament to the power of inclusive excellence in shaping a more just and equitable future for all.”

Webley, who is also a professor of microbiology, was selected for a one-year fellowship in the ADOFP, a professional leadership program that provides mentorship to new and early-career Academic Diversity Officers (ADOs).

“There were a number of very strong applicants, and you clearly stood out,” Granberry Russell said in the notification email sent to Webley.

The fellowship provides a unique opportunity to observe how an experienced senior-level ADO and their institution tackle issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Throughout the program, fellows will shadow an ADO to learn about their leadership styles, strategies, successes and challenges.

Fellows immerse themselves in other campuses and gain insights into DEI issues, policies, procedures and politics at those institutions. Additional program highlights include learning about national, regional, state, local and international DEI challenges and how they impact both public and private campuses.

Fellows are expected to design a Leadership Enrichment and Achievement Plan that outlines three key objectives aligned with the ADOFP’s goals, detail the activities to achieve these objectives and offer recommendations to benefit future ADOFP participants.

They also become part of a national network of DEI leaders and future ADOFP alumni and receive a financial award of $2,000 to cover travel and expense during the fellowship year, along with complimentary registration to the NADOHE Annual Conference.

More information about the NADOHE institutional excellence awards, past recipients and the ADO fellowship program can be found at www.nadohe.org.