2018 What Works for Latino Students in Higher Education

What works to increase success for Latinos in colleges and universities? Since 2005, Examples of Excelencia has been the only national effort to recognize evidence-based practices that accelerate Latino student success in higher education. Through this process, Excelencia recognizes programs in three different academic levels as well as community-based efforts. Programs are recognized in four categories: Associate, Baccalaureate, Graduate, and Community-Based Organizations. Through this review process we identify various practices across the country that work for Latino students. This compendium reflects our 2018 submission process which includes 21 finalists, 20 Programs to Watch and seven Honorable Mentions.

Examples of Excelencia programs
In 2018, we received 139 total nominations from 27 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. Of nominated programs that submitted profiles, 21 total finalists were selected. Each year our finalists are reviewed by an external selection committee. This year members of our nine-person committee represented organizations such as the Lumina Foundation, ACT, and Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Our selection committee reviewed each of the 21 profiles and selected four Examples of Excelencia, one in each of our categories.

View the list of 2018 Examples of Excelencia Finalists.

Programs to Watch:
This year Excelencia identified 20 young programs that have already made some positive impact on the success of their Latino students and are growing their practices and evidence of effectiveness as programs to watch.

Honorable Mentions:
Excelencia also recognizes programs that have sustained their efforts in increasing Latino student success for a significant amount of time and have shown some success as honorable mentions.

2018 Examples of Excelencia :