Supplier Diversity Wordmark

USDP Core Values

About Us

USDP Mission

To expand enrollment and participation of small/minority businesses on University contracts, by facilitating the opportunity for said businesses to provide valuable, quality, timely goods and services, while building mutually beneficial, respectful, lasting business relationships with the University community.

USDP Policy Statement

The University of Connecticut is committed to providing a professionally inclusive environment within which small/minority businesses are encouraged to participate in the procurement experience, as they are afforded equal access to the bid process that transfers goods and services to the campus communities.

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SMBE Connect

2023 Annual Meeting National Assoc. of Educational Procurement

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On Tuesday, May 02, 2023, Veronica F. Cook, Executive Program Director proudly represented the UConn Supplier Diversity Program (USDP) in Orlando, FL, at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP). The University of Connecticut was part of a co-facilitated (with Grand Valley State University) session entitled “Supplier Diversity Member Mind Exchange”; and in accordance with its name, it resulted in an active exchange of ideas and experience focused key issues pertinent to supplier diversity. Cook and Rhodes-Sorrelle served on both the NAEP DEI Committee and the Supplier Diversity Sub-Committee during the period 2020-2023.

NAEP 2023 SD Member Mind Exchange - Orlando FL

NAEP Educational Procurement Journal Spring 2023

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NAEP Spring 2023 Journal

UConn’s Supplier Diversity Program has once again been featured in the NAEP Educational Procurement Journal (Spring 2023), for co-authoring an article entitled “Campus Procurement Helps to Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”, in collaboration with 3 other institutions:  Penn Sate University, Grand Valley State University, and University of San Diego. Click here to read the article and learn about the thoughtful supplier diversity work being done on our respective campuses.

NAEP Volunteer of the Year Award

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UConn’s Supplier Diversity Program (V. Cook – middle) has been an active planner and participant in NAEP Supplier Diversity Institutes since 2007. Volunteerism includes representing UConn on the NAEP DEI Committee for 4 years (co-chairing its 2nd year) and the Supplier Diversity Sub-Committee (co-chairing); participating in an interview in one article and co-authoring another (Spring 2023) for NAEP’s Procurement Journal; and serving as a subject matter expert on panels for Fusion Sessions during covid years when sessions could not be held in person, as well as being a panelist and co-facilitating, respectively, during the first two years back in person at NAEP’s Annual Meetings.

Veronica Cook Recipient of the NAEP Volunteer of the Year Award
Veronica Cook Recipient

UConn Winner of GNEMSDC 2022 Institute of Higher Learning of the Year Award

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GNEMSDC 2022 Institute of Higher Learning of the Year Award

On December 9, 2022 The University Connecticut was honored to be selected as the 2022 recipient for Institution of Higher Learning of the Year, awarded at the 2022 Annual Greater New England Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) Award Ceremony. Veronica F. Cook, Executive Program Director for the Supplier Diversity Program was present to receive the award. This is the third time that this honor has been bestowed upon UConn, with the other two awards being received in 2018 and 2019.

National Association of Edu Procurement (NAEP) Annual Meeting

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NAEP 2022 Panel Discussion

USDP Panelist – 2022 National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) Annual Meeting

On Monday, June 6, 2022, Veronica F. Cook, Executive Program Director (far right) proudly represented the UConn Supplier Diversity Program (USDP) in Grapevine, Texas, at the first in-person Annual Meeting of the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) since Covid began. The University of Connecticut was part of a panel discussion along with Pennsylvania State University, Metropolitan Community College, and Grand Valley State University (from far left to right). Cook has recently served as co-chair on both the NAEP DEI Committee and the Supplier Diversity Sub-Committee.

UConn Honored Again by INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine

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Jesse L Moore Supplier Diversity Award

For a second consecutive year, UConn was one of eleven institutions nationwide to receive the Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, “for taking proactive steps to support and engage with minority-owned businesses through our unique programs and leading initiatives among institutions of higher education”.

The winners were announced February 28, 2022, and UConn was honored along with the others in the magazine’s April 2022 issue (starting on Page 32).

USDP Interviewed by INSIGHT Into Diversity

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Insight Into Diversity

UConn Supplier Diversity Program (USDP) Executive Program Director Veronica F. Cook was featured in an article by INSIGHT Into Diversity, entitled, “An Interview with the Experts: How Campus Procurement Advances Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”, along with NAEP’s Executive Director Krista Ferrell.  The October 2021 article can be found here, starting on page 28.