During an announcement event live streamed from the nation’s capital this fall, Excelencia recognized six institutions that earned the Seal of Excelencia for the first time and nine institutions that were recertified.
In total, Excelencia in Education announced a total of 15 institutions earned the Seal of Excelencia in 2022 for intentionally serving Latino students. This marks the fourth year Excelencia has offered the certification process supporting institutional transformation.
The Seal of Excelencia framework was developed with colleges and universities as a tool for institutional self-assessment, and certification is valid for three years.
The six newly certified Seal of Excelencia institutions are Mercy College (NY), San Antonio College (TX), Texas State University (TX), University at Albany – State University of New York (NY), University of California, Santa Cruz (CA), and the University of Texas at Arlington (TX).
The nine newly recertified Seal of Excelencia institutions are Arizona State University (AZ), Austin Community College (TX), California State University Channel Islands (CA), El Paso Community College (TX), Florida International University (FIU), Grand Valley State University (MI), South Texas College (TX), University of Arizona (AZ), and the University of Texas at El Paso (TX).
These institutions join 15 other Seal-certified institutions. Combined, the 30 Seal-certified institutions enrolled 13% and graduated 14% of all Latinos in the U.S. for the most recent year, and they are projecting to continue increasing their efforts to lead the nation.
“Excelencia in Education created the Seal of Excelencia to differentiate institutions that became Hispanic-Serving Institutions because of demography and geography from those that are Hispanic-Serving because of intentionality and impact,” said Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia. “The Seal provides a road map for all institutions, led by data, practice, and leadership, that does not end with the certification. It supports a path to intentionally making progress in serving Latino students.”
An institution earns the Seal by demonstrating alignment across the three core areas of data, practice, and leadership, which show:
“We are animated by the positive and engaged responses to the Seal of Excelencia by many people and institutions.” Brown said. “We launched the Seal in 2018 because, after years of offering information and evidence-based tactics and strategies to support colleges and universities we saw a slow response to the vibrant and growing Latino student population.”
Excelencia in Education accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, conducting analysis to inform educational policies, advancing institutional practices, and collaborating with those committed and ready to meet the mission.
Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia has established a network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders.
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