George Mason University will serve as the lead institution for the Mid-Atlantic Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (Mid-Atlantic HERC).
The Mid-Atlantic HERC, which is made up of 65 institutions in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., is dedicated to equity and excellence in higher education recruitment. Prior to moving to Mason, the Mid-Atlantic HERC was housed at Loyola University Maryland, where the regional initiative launched in 2008.
“The partnership with HERC is an exciting and unique opportunity for Mason," said Shernita Rochelle Parker, acting vice president, Human Resources and Payroll at Mason. "HERC’s mission aligns well with our strategic objectives and university values around the recruitment of diverse and inclusive talent.”
As part of the move, Mason will hire a director of Mid-Atlantic HERC and Diversity Outreach. The position will be split, with 50 percent of the time devoted to HERC and 50 percent helping Mason expand and implement initiatives around the recruitment of diverse talent, Parker said.
Mason’s leadership role with the Mid-Atlantic HERC strengthens the university’s commitment to create an inclusive academic community that reflects the diversity of its student body and the National Capital Region. Through the partnership with HERC, the university has increased the percentage of faculty who identify as members of underrepresented groups to 20 percent. These efforts help further support the university’s commitment to students of diverse backgrounds.
The partnership also helps strengthen Mason’s commitment to veterans. Mason received the 2017 Military Friendly Gold Award, and College Factual ranked Mason 10th nationally as a top college for veterans. The university served as the first host of the Mid-Atlantic HERC’s Career Expo for veterans, transitioning military, and military spouses/partners, creating opportunities for veterans to explore careers in higher education.
“Mason joins the company of 15 colleges and universities that have taken their commitment to diversity and equity in the hiring and retention process to the next level by serving as regional lead institutions,” said Jessica Wise, interim executive director of the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. “We are thrilled to count Mason as a lead regional institution and look forward to a fruitful and lasting partnership.”