Around the country, high school students and their families are looking for advice on college admission, financial aid, jobs, and internships. California State University Channel Islands is a one-stop shop for all of the above. Last month, CSU Channel Islands received the Seal of Excelencia, recognizing an institution’s high level of commitment and effort to serve Latino students successfully.
The Seal of Excelencia is a certification granted by the Washington, D.C.-based organization, Excelencia in Education. 2019 is the inaugural year for the seal, which is part of Excelencia in Education’s strategy to close the education equity gap, accelerate the number of Latino students who attain college degrees by 2030, and ensure America’s future by promoting more high-quality educational opportunities.
According to CSUCI, it is one of only nine institutions in the nation – the only California State University campus and California institution of higher education – to earn a 2019 Seal of Excelencia. To earn the seal, CSUCI had to demonstrate significant strides in supporting Latino student success. CSUCI serves approximately 7,000+ students, of which 51.6% are Hispanic/Latinos.
“At CSUCI we are reimagining higher education to serve a largely first generation, historically underserved student population. We have benefitted greatly from the diverse perspectives of our Latinx students and their communities in ways that enrich the academic culture for all students,” said President Erika D. Beck in a statement.
“Obtaining a college degree elevates every student and, just as importantly, changes their family trees forever. This is the essence of what we do and it is at the core of our commitment to academic excellence.”
Sarita Brown, president, Excelencia in Education, said the Seal certification process provides a platform for colleges and universities to reflect on their current impact, practices, and policies and implement new and better ones that respond to Latino students’ realities.
“Having a higher education is vital to succeeding in today’s global economy,” added Deborah Santiago, CEO, Excelencia in Education. “If institutions aren’t effectively serving our Latino students, we lose a vital source of talent for our workforce and civic leadership. Institutions that strive for and most particularly those that earn the Seal, have demonstrated their capacity to grow our country’s highly-skilled workforce and develop leaders — in other words, these institutions are ensuring America’s future.”
The Seal draws on Excelencia’s experience in identifying best practices that ensure the graduation and long-term success of Latino college students.
Currently, the proportion of Latinos who graduate within six years is 10% lower in comparison to their non-Latino White peers. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the gap is even greater, at 14 percentage points, when comparing four-year graduation rates.
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