Excelencia’s institutes, workshops, and convenings provide forums for sharing knowledge on effective strategies for Latino student success. These opportunities engage leadership from multiple sectors to focus on Latino students as essential to America’s human capital growth. Programs + Initiatives We Promote What Works for Student Success Excelencia in Education believes the nation can make a measurable difference in increasing Latino, and all, student success in higher education by coming together and taking action. Participate in the following programs and initiatives: have your institution enroll in the Excelencia in Action network nominate programs for the annual Examples of Excelencia learn about evidence-based programs attend the Celebración de Excelencia invest in Excelencia’s programs and initiatives Looking to know what works or connect with evidence-based programs recognized by Excelencia ? Let’s talk. Our team can work with you to identify and connect with relevant programs making an impact on student success that can help you in your efforts to intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. Click here to contact us . LEARN MORE Examples of Excelencia A Community of Action Excelencia’s institutes, workshops, and convenings provide forums for sharing knowledge on effective strategies for Latino, and all, student success. These opportunities engage leadership from multiple sectors to focus on Latino students as essential to America’s human capital growth. Our partnership model and asset-based focus on Latino students leads to public recognition of students, institutions, communities and leaders making significant progress in improving Latino, and all, student attainment. Excelencia in Action LEARN MORE Capacity Building LEARN MORE

This brief highlights the strategic practices of six Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) that have participated in federal HSI STEM and Title V grant programs. < Back Beyond an HSI Designation: Exploring Strategic Practices for HSI Grant Participation Excelencia in Education March 2023 DOWNLOADS/LINKS Publication SHARE RESEARCH LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Overview Since 1995, the federal government has allocated funds to Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to help build their institutional capacity to better serve their Latino students amongst all. However, these federal grant programs have become increasingly competitive. As a result, HSIs must strategically adapt their practices to plan effectively for grant competitions and utilize funds in a sustainable manner that supplements existing institutional practices that facilitate Latino, and all, student success. Excelencia in Education engaged six HSIs that had received federal funding in the last six years (2017-2022) in a series of interviews to learn more about their strategic practices in HSI STEM and Title V grant participation: California State University-Long Beach California State University-Sacramento University of New Mexico-Taos Texas A&M University-Kingsville Dominican University Hartnell College Findings From the interviews with these institutions, Excelencia identified key strategies that demonstrate these HSIs’ adaptive practices for HSI STEM and Title V grant participation and their institutional commitment to their Latino students amongst all: Creating the capacity to apply for HSI grants. Leadership at these six institutions described their strategies for applying for federal funding despite a limited or nonexistent central office or personnel dedicated to HSI initiatives. Their efforts for preparing for grant competitions included (1) holding internal mini-grant competitions, (2) contracting with external grant writers, or (3) bringing in cross-campus support to prepare their grant applications. Implementing and sustaining grant-funded programs. HSI grants are one of many tools that can be leveraged to develop an institution’s capacity to better serve their students. HSI grants are designed to supplement rather than supplant current institutional efforts, which means that institutions must utilize this funding in combination with existing resources. To gain buy-in from the necessary programs or offices, these institutions integrated key stakeholders into the grant application and implementation process. Institutions also slowly transitioned grant funded costs into the budget of campus programs and offices to ensure that the programs and positions could be sustained at the end of the grant period. Conceptualizing and advancing an organizational commitment to serving Latino students. Leadership across all six HSIs described how their institution is conceptualizing what it means to be an HSI, where they currently are with their work, and what they need to do to better serve their Latino students amongst all. These HSIs are: (1) utilizing evidence-based practices from external HSI organizations to identify their next steps to advance their institutional capacity to serve, (2) leveraging HSI funding to improve their capacity to implement and sustain student-centered efforts and outcomes, and (3) creating a cross-campus network of offices and departments committed to developing practices that intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. Suggested Citation: Arroyo, C. & Santiago, D. (March 2023). Beyond an HSI Designation: Exploring Strategic Practices for HSI Grant Participation . Washington, D.C.: Excelencia in Education. Read our report on the impact of 20 years of federal funding on student success and the development of HSIs in From Capacity to Success: HSIs, Title V, and Latino Students. Read our Medium posts on the potential of a guaranteed federal grant programs for HSIs to build their capacity for applying to competitive federal grant programs. Return to Research Library Related Research by Issue Area - Education Pathways Financial Aid Institutional Practices Student Success Workforce

This HSI factbook highlights fast facts on HSIs, eHSIs, and gHSIs, their growth over 31 years, the federal investment in HSIs through Title V, and more. < Back Hispanic-Serving Institutions: 2026 Factbook Excelencia in Education April 2026 DOWNLOADS/LINKS Publication SHARE RESEARCH LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Overview Excelencia in Education develops and releases a list of HSIs every year since 2004 to inform the field of where Latinos enroll, examine institutional efforts to increase student success, and compel action to transform higher education and intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. Because the definition of an HSI is grounded in enrollment, not in mission to serve, the numbers of HSIs are dependent on the population growth and enrollment concentration of Hispanic students geographically. Therefore, Excelencia created the Emerging HSIs (eHSIs) category in 2009 and maintains this list to track the pipeline to HSI status. Further, with the authorization of the P romoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) grant program, Excelencia began to catalogue HSIs with graduate programs (gHSIs) to identify institutions potentially eligible. This Factbook includes information on HSIs for 2024-25, the latest academic year of publicly available data, using Excelencia in Education’s analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 1994 through 2024 Fall Enrollment, Institutional Characteristics, and Completions Surveys. See additional data related to 2024-25 HSIs: List Emerging HSIs (eHSIs) List with Graduate Programs (gHSIs) List Interactive Dashboard Interactive StoryMaps Suggested Citation: Excelencia in Education. (2026). Hispanic-Serving Institutions: 2026 Factbook . Washington, D.C.: Excelencia in Education. Learn more about how Excelencia creates the list of HSIs. Return to Research Library Related Research by Issue Area - Education Pathways Financial Aid Institutional Practices Student Success Workforce

Dianey Leal serves as Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships of Excelencia in Education. Dianey is responsible for managing relationships and programs that support Excelencia’s partnership initiatives to advance institutions’ journeys to more intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. < Back to Our People Page Dianey Leal Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships Excelencia in Education E-mail: dleal@edexcelencia.org Current Position: As the Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Dianey is responsible for managing relationships and programs that support Excelencia’s partnership initiatives to advance institutions’ journeys to more intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. She also contributes to Excelencia’s internal learning, evaluation, and strategy development that enhance collaborations with partners and expand the organization’s impact in fulfilling its mission. Past Experiences: Dianey is a proud daughter of Mexican immigrant farmworkers and first-generation, college-going graduate raised in the Rio Grande Valley. Dianey’s professional background spans higher education, nonprofit, and philanthropy sectors, providing her with a diverse perspective on advancing opportunities for students. Prior to joining Excelencia , she oversaw corporate and federally-funded partnerships and programs aimed at supporting students’ educational journeys, including career preparation. Dianey holds a B.A. in Political Science and English Writing and Rhetoric from St. Edward’s University, a M.A. in Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Chicano/Latino studies from Michigan State University. Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia ? My personal and professional experiences have fueled my passion for bridging research and practice to improve educational opportunities of underrepresented students in higher education, whether through policy, advocacy, or evidence-based programs. This role with Excelencia gives me the opportunity to listen to, learn from, and work with colleges and universities across the nation in support of that goal. How would you describe working at Excelencia ? Working at Excelencia brings me a deep sense of purpose and hope. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the thoughtful decision-making process that Excelencia takes to support institutions at every stage of their journey. This kind of commitment reinforces my belief in the power of collective action, especially when intentionality is at the heart of our efforts. I am grateful to collaborate with a team of dedicated individuals who are mission-driven, kind, and passionate about intentionally SERVING Latino students.

Gary S. May is Chancellor of the University of California-Davis and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page University of California-Davis Gary S. May Chancellor Institution website: https://www.ucdavis.edu/ Bio Page: https://leadership.ucdavis.edu/chancellor/gary-s-may Gary S. May is Chancellor of the University of California-Davis and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval is President of California State University-Fresno and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page California State University-Fresno Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval President Institution website: https://www.calstate.edu/ Bio Page: https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/leadership/presidents/Pages/Sandoval.aspx Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval is President of California State University-Fresno and part of Excelencia in Action network. Seal of Excelencia Recertified Institution: 2024-2027 California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is the largest 4-year institution in the San Joaquin Central Valley. Fresno State serves a four-county area with a total population of 1.76 million; overall 60-66% are Latino, African American, Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islanders. Fresno State’s journey as a nationally distinguished Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is one that uplifts evidence-based practices that are serving Latino students, faculty, and communities, while also acknowledging an ability to serve all historically marginalized groups.

This report portrays perspectives and leadership choices by select college and university presidents on the front lines of the changing higher education landscape. < Back Leading in a Changing America: Presidential Perspectives from Hispanic-Serving Institutions Deborah A. Santiago May 2009 DOWNLOADS/LINKS Publication SHARE RESEARCH LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Overview This report portrays the perspectives and leadership choices by a select group of college and university presidents who are on the front lines of the changing higher education landscape. These leaders offer pragmatic approaches for serving first generation college-going students in the present and visions for the future of higher education that can inform the future of public policy in higher education to serve a changing America. All are presidents of institutions that enroll large numbers of nontraditional college students in some of the largest and most populous states in the country: California, New York, and Texas. Their institutions rank among the top in the country in both enrolling and graduating Latinos. Return to Research Library Related Research by Issue Area - Education Pathways Financial Aid Institutional Practices Student Success Workforce

Jessica Leach serves as Grants Manager of Excelencia in Education. Jessica works closely with the Finance and Executive teams to support the administration of grants and contracts. < Back to Our People Page Jessica Leach Grants Manager Excelencia in Education Email: jleach@edexcelencia.org Current Position: As the Grants Manager, Jessica works closely with the Finance and Executive teams to support the administration of grants and contracts. She is responsible for tracking project progress, timely and accurate grant reporting, and supporting development efforts. Past Experiences: Jessica has over a decade of experience working at various universities in the United States and Canada in administrative, teaching, and graduate student positions. Before Excelencia , she managed a grants team that administered language preservation grants and contracts for Tribes and First Nations across the United States and Canada. Jessica has a Ph.D. in History from Indiana University Bloomington. Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia ? I thrive working with teams of highly motivated and talented individuals, like our team at Excelencia . This position allows me to collaborate closely with leadership and the entire team, which I find motivating and rewarding. My previous work in admissions, standardized testing, and teaching really showed the inequities in higher education, and it is extremely important to me to help make higher education more accessible for all. How would you describe working at Excelencia ? Working at Excelencia immerses me in a fast-paced and collaborative environment with passionate coworkers. It is refreshing to work for an organization that cares deeply about its mission and its employees. We are offered many opportunities for professional and personal growth, which helps employees better support Excelencia’s mission.

Carlos E. Santiago served as the Commissioner Emeritus, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, and Excelencia in Education's Board Member. < Back to Our People Page Carlos E. Santiago Commissioner Emeritus Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) Carlos E. Santiago served as the Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education from 2015-2022. He served as the State Higher Education Executive Officer (SHEEO) and was selected as the recipient of the 2021 SHEEO Exceptional Agency Award. He worked closely with the leadership of the three segments of public higher education: community colleges, State Universities, and the University of Massachusetts. Prior to his appointment, Santiago was the first Puerto Rican president of a major U.S. research university when he served as the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 2022 the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) honored him with the Alfredo de Los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award.

Alexis Padilla-Torres serves as Strategic Initiatives Manager of Excelencia in Education. < Back to Our People Page Alexis Padilla-Torres Strategic Initiatives Manager Excelencia in Education Email: apadillatorres@edexcelencia.org Past Experiences: Alexis brings experience from the public and private sectors and is passionate about community building, empowerment, and sustainable impact. She has cultivated a diverse skill set and robust network through her work in state and federal government, politics, and NGOs. Most recently, Alexis worked at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), where she led nationwide recruitment efforts for four leadership development programs, traveling extensively across the U.S. to bring Latino talent to Washington, DC. Prior to that role, she co-managed the Postgraduate and Public Policy Fellowship Programs, supporting fellows’ leadership journeys as they navigated life on and off Capitol Hill. Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia ? As a mission-driven individual who has spent the last several years working for a national Latino-serving organization, it was important for me to continue contributing to a space that improves outcomes for all, while applying a Latino lens. Excelencia has provided me with the unique opportunity to work at the intersection of my greatest passions: community, education, leadership, and policy. How would you describe working at Excelencia ? I view Excelencia as a powerhouse of an organization. Founded with great intentionality, it is dynamic by nature and filled with dedicated staff – each connected to the mission in their own way. Working alongside such talented colleagues is a privilege.

Kenneth Christensen is Chancellor of the University of Colorado-Denver is affiliated with the Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page University of Colorado, Denver Kenneth Christensen Chancellor Institution website: https://ucdenver.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.ucdenver.edu/chancellor/biography Kenneth Christensen is Chancellor of the University of Colorado-Denver is affiliated with the Excelencia in Action network.

Iris Yan serves as Research Analyst of Excelencia in Education. Iris collaborates on data collection, analysis, and dissemination of research projects to inform institutional practice and policy with a Latino lens, aligned with Excelencia’s mission of accelerating Latino student success. < Back to Our People Page Iris Yan Research Analyst Excelencia in Education Email: ryan@edexcelencia.org Current Position: As a Research Analyst, Iris collaborates on data collection, analysis, and dissemination of research projects to inform institutional practice and policy with a Latino lens, aligned with Excelencia’s mission of accelerating Latino student success. She plays a pivotal role in coordinating the use of national datasets, management of internal data sets, and conducting analyses that inform higher education issues, such as affordability and institutional capacity. Additionally, she actively contributes to data analysis on topics related to Latinos in higher education and assists in the development of research publications based on Excelencia's four core priorities: affordability, institutional capacity, retention and transfer, and workforce preparation. Past Experiences: Iris brings over three years of quantitative research experience to Excelencia , particularly with underrepresented student populations and their persistence in STEM fields. She previously worked as a Research and Data Analyst at Texas A&M University, on a grant project funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Iris earned her Master’s degree in Research, Measurement and Statistics from Texas A&M University at College Station. Her education and experience have equipped her with professional skills and theoretical framework to conduct both quantitative and qualitative research. Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia ? Promoting education equity has been a passion of mine for many years. I firmly believe that education is the key to unlocking opportunities for underrepresented populations. Excelencia in Education’s mission to accelerate Latino student success in higher education by promoting institutional practices and educational policies aligns perfectly with my values, as I strive to make higher education a more accessible and equitable place for underrepresented students. I am thrilled at the opportunity of being part of the Excelencia team to make higher education more accessible for Latino students. How would you describe working at Excelencia ? We are a group of people that share the same values. We believe in Excelencia’s mission and commitment to serve the Latino community. Excelencia encourages everyone to achieve their full potential and succeed. I am honored to be part of the organization, collaborate with my team, and learn from my colleagues and leaders.