Excelencia in Education, also referred to as Excelencia, is an American non-profit organization founded in 2004 by Sarita E. Brown and Deborah A. Santiago. It is classified as a Research Institute and Public Policy Analysis group focused on Educational Institutions. Excelencia's stated mission is to "accelerate Latino student success in higher education". Excelencia's research is conducted to gather information on the relationship between Latino students and their programs, and is published through Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), and educational journals, such as Insight into Diversity and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Excelencia regularly recognizes programs and institutions that support the Latino community through higher education. Excelencia publishes an annual list of Hispanic Serving Institutions and emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions.
History Brown and Santiago founded Excelencia in Education in Washington D.C. Brown is a national education policy advisor and former Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Santiago is a higher education policy and data specialist and former Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Excelencia is funded through a variety of grants, contracts, events, and gifts; in 2019, Excelencia received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Andrew Mellon Foundation, Ascendium Education Group, and MacKenzie Scott
Seal of Excelencia Since 2019, Excelencia has offered, to higher education institutions in the United States, which "serve Latino students". The Seal acts as a certification from Excelencia that the institution helps Latino access resources like mentoring and financial accountability. Among the recipients of the Seal in 2022 was El Paso Community College, noted for its work on serving Latino communities.
There are 46 institutions that have earned the Seal of Excelencia in the 2024 classification:
+ Seal of Excelencia Certified Institutions (2024) Institution Control Duration City State Angelo State University Public 4-year San Angelo TX Arizona State University Public 4-year Tempe AZ Austin Community College District Public 2-year Austin TX California State University Channel Islands Public 4-year Camarillo CA California State University, East Bay Public 4-year Hayward CA California State University, Fresno Public 4-year Fresno CA California State University, Fullerton Public 4-year Fullerton CA California State University, Long Beach Public 4-year Long Beach CA California State University, Los Angeles Public 4-year Los Angeles CA California State University, Northridge Public 4-year Northridge CA California State University, Sacramento Public 4-year Sacramento CA California State University, San Bernardino Public 4-year San Bernardino CA California State University, San Marcos Public 4-year San Marcos CA Cerritos College Public 2-year Norwalk CA El Paso Community College Public 2-year El Paso TX Florida International University Public 4-year Miami FL Grand Valley State University Public 4-year Allendale MI Hartnell College Public 2-year Salinas CA Long Beach City College Public 2-year Long Beach CA Mercy University Private 4-year Dobbs Ferry NY Metropolitan State University of Denver Public 4-year Denver CO Miami Dade College Public 2-year Miami FL Phoenix College Public 2-year Phoenix AZ Pima Community College Public 2-year Tucson AZ Richard J. Daley College Public 2-year Chicago IL San Antonio College Public 2-year San Antonio TX San Diego State University Public 4-year San Diego CA San Francisco State University Public 4-year San Francisco CA South Texas College Public 2-year McAllen TX St. Edward's University Private 4-year Austin TX Sul Ross State University Public 4-year Alpine TX Texas State University Public 4-year San Marcos TX Texas Woman's University Public 4-year Denton TX University at Albany Public 4-year Albany NY University of Arizona Public 4-year Tucson AZ University of California, Merced Public 4-year Merced CA University of California, Riverside Public 4-year Riverside CA University of California, Santa Cruz Public 4-year Santa Cruz CA University of Central Florida Public 4-year Orlando FL University of Illinois Chicago Public 4-year Chicago IL University of Texas at Arlington Public 4-year Arlington TX University of Texas at Austin Public 4-year Austin TX University of Texas at El Paso Public 4-year El Paso TX University of Texas at San Antonio Public 4-year San Antonio TX University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Public 4-year Edinburg TX Wilbur Wright College Public 2-year Chicago IL
Recognition
2021 Presidential Medal by the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) 2019 "Modelo de la Comunidad Award" from College Board
References