UW-Milwaukee has been named as one of the country’s top employers for diversity.
UWM landed at No. 92 on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2024. More than 1,300 organizations were considered, with 500 making the final list.
UWM was the only educational institution in Wisconsin to make the list.
“Our inclusion in Forbes’ prestigious list is a proud moment for UWM and serves as a reminder of the importance of our diversity efforts,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “As we continue to strive for a campus that reflects the diversity of our student body and our city, we reinforce our commitment to being a leading educational institution that prioritizes accessibility and inclusive excellence.”
Makda Fessahaye, UWM associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer, also hailed the ranking.
“Being recognized in Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity is a tremendous honor for UWM and validates our ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment and cultivating positive employee experiences,” she said. “I see this recognition as both a celebration of our achievements and a call to continue our efforts in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across all of UWM. We remain dedicated to creating an environment where every employee feels included, valued and empowered.”
The seventh annual list was compiled based on surveys of 170,000 people working for organizations with at least 1,000 employees within the United States. The employees evaluated their organization’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion as it pertains to such criteria as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation.
The evaluation was based on three criteria:
- Employees’ evaluations of their workplace.
- Employees’ recommendations of other employers in their industries.
- An evaluation of how each organization fared on a range of diversity-related best practices, such as representation, accountability, communication, internal initiatives and external involvement.
