Guadalupe Acosta serves as the Digital Manager of Excelencia in Education. Guadalupe manages Excelencia's digital communications, including the website, presence in social media platforms, as well as online campaigns. < Back to Our People Page Guadalupe Acosta Digital Manager Excelencia in Education Email: gacosta@EdExcelencia.org Current Position: Guadalupe Acosta serves as the Digital Manager of Excelencia in Education, managing Excelencia ’s digital communications, including the website, presence in social media platforms, as well as online campaigns. Past Experiences: Guadalupe comes to Excelencia with over 4 years of digital and print marketing experience that included work in the public transportation sector bringing awareness to the many benefits of public services. Guadalupe received her B.S. in Paralegal Studies and Spanish and a minor in General Business from Texas A&M University at Commerce. Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia ? As a first-generation high school and university Latina graduate, I know the importance of organizations like Excelencia and the level of impact it can have on Latino student success in higher education. I know that I wouldn’t be where I am, professionally, if it wasn’t for key organizations, programs, and mentors that helped me along the way navigate the education system and overcome the constant challenges. Personally, I couldn’t think of a better service than playing a part in helping accelerate Latino student success in higher education to grow the talent for America’s future workforce and civil society. How would you describe working at Excelencia ? Working at Excelencia has been the highlight of my professional career. The level of passion and commitment for a common cause is seen everyday with everything that is done, no matter the role and how big or small the task is. I am proud to be part of a very talented team where we all work as one.

Richard Daniel is President of Mesa Community College and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Mesa Community College Richard Daniel President Institution website: https://www.mesacc.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.mesacc.edu/about/administration/college-president Richard Daniel is President of Mesa Community College and part of Excelencia in Action network.

< Back to News Page More Latino Students Apply for Financial Aid to Access College, Yet They Receive the Lowest Average Awards Mar 27, 2025 Contact: Media@EdExcelencia.org DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE Excelencia in Education Brief Highlights How Latinos Pay for College and Trendsetting Institutions Making Degrees More Affordable WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 27, 2025) – Excelencia in Education, the premier authority on accelerating Latino student success in higher education, released today a brief detailing how Latinos use financial aid to pay for college and ways that institutions intentionally serving them ensure a degree is affordable. The brief shows Latinos are more likely to apply for and receive financial aid than other groups, yet they receive the lowest average amount of aid. It then identifies concrete examples of how institutions financially support Latino, and all, students, including institutional aid, paid internships/on-campus employment, and robust advising services. The brief, “ How Latinos Pay for College: 2025 National Trends , ” comes in the wake of executive actions that are impacting higher education broadly, including financial aid. It reveals that 85% of Latino students applied for and 71% received financial aid, according to the most recent data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) in 2019-20. This represents the largest proportion of financial aid participation among any group except for African American students. Latinos are also more than twice as likely to receive grants (67%) than loans (27%) to pay for college. Despite demonstrating high financial need, Latinos received the lowest average amount of aid — just over $11,000, compared to almost $13,000 for all students. This is explained in part by Latinos’ pragmatic choices to access college despite a complicated financial aid system. Latino students who attended less costly community colleges (40%), worked 30+ hours per week (56%), enrolled exclusively part-time (28%), or chose to live off-campus and/or with their parents (89%) were less likely to receive federal financial aid, the most important source of aid for them to pay for college. “As the youngest, fastest-growing population in the U.S., Latinos’ increasing representation in colleges and universities provides unique opportunities for social mobility and economic growth,” said Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia . “Financial aid is critical to supporting Latino, and all, students’ access to higher education. Our brief makes this clear and informs what institutions and policymakers can do to make financial aid more effective for our students and ensure access to quality, affordable education.” In addition to detailing how Latinos finance their education, the brief identifies six practices increasing access and financially supporting Latino, and all, students at trendsetting colleges and universities that have earned the Seal of Excelencia — a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment to intentionally serve Latinos: Align institutional aid to provide funds to mitigate students’ unexpected financial challenges. Offer paid internships or on-campus employment opportunities so that Latino students can offset the cost of their degree while simultaneously gaining transferable skills. Provide support services to help students make informed decisions about their college costs. Contain student costs by offering OER (Open Educational Resources) for courses. Advance full tuition scholarships to students with family incomes at or below a specific financial level. Facilitate and simplify access to aid by managing joint admissions and financial aid applications between two-year and four-year college partners. Findings from the brief inform Excelencia’s policy recommendations for college affordability. At the federal level, recommendations include making basic needs a part of financial aid calculations and prioritizing Pell Grants. At the state level, recommendations include investing in guaranteed tuition plans by family income and mandating FAFSA completion. “How Latinos Pay for College: 2025 National Trends” was made possible with support from Lumina Foundation. Access the full brief: EdExcelencia.org/research/publications/how-latinos-pay-for-college-2025-national-trends About Excelencia in Education Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia in Education leads a national network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to tap the talents of the Latino community and address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. With this network, Excelencia accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, informing educational policies with a Latino lens, and advancing evidence-based practices. For more information, visit: EdExcelencia.org

Kimberly Britt is President of Phoenix College and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Phoenix College Kimberly Britt President Institution website: https://www.phoenixcollege.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.phoenixcollege.edu/about/office-president/dr-kimberly-britt Kimberly Britt is President of Phoenix College and part of Excelencia in Action network. Seal of Excelencia Certified Institution: 2023-2026 Phoenix College’s student population of approximately 10,000 represents the diversity of the state of Arizona with 56% Latino students, 76% underrepresented minorities, and 66% first-generation college goers. By preparing students for university transfer and providing career and technical education, Phoenix College serves as a gateway to higher education and plays a central role in the economic vitality and workforce development of the state.

Alberto J.F. Cardelle is President of SUNY Oneonta and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page SUNY Oneonta Alberto J.F. Cardelle President Institution website: https://suny.oneonta.edu/ Bio Page: https://suny.oneonta.edu/office-president/biography Alberto J.F. Cardelle is President of SUNY Oneonta and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Teik Lim is President of New Jersey Institute of Technology and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page New Jersey Institute of Technology Teik Lim President Institution website: https://www.njit.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.njit.edu/president/teik-lim Teik Lim is President of New Jersey Institute of Technology and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Joey Marin serves as Executive Assistant & Board Liaison of Excelencia in Education. Joey supports the CEO across organizational efforts and assists the Executive Team with the management and tracking of projects throughout Excelencia’s portfolios. < Back to Our People Page Joey Marin Executive Assistant & Board Liaison Excelencia in Education Email: jmarin@edexcelencia.org Current Position: As Executive Assistant & Board Liaison, Joey directly supports the CEO across organizational efforts and assists the Executive Team with the management and tracking of projects throughout Excelencia’s portfolios. Joey coordinates scheduling for the President and the CEO, supports organizational culture by facilitating internal communication between executives and staff, and maintains contact with external collaborators. Past Experiences: Joey joined Excelencia with a wide range of private and public sector experience, providing administrative support to organizations both small and large. Most recently, he served as Senior Clerk at the Student & Teacher Integrated Center for Health Sciences (STICHES), a U.S. Department of Education Title V grant project at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus. While there, he provided wraparound services to pre-nursing and pre-health sciences students during their first two years of college. A first-generation post-traditional college student, Joey received his associate’s degree in Political Science from Miami Dade College and his bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in Anthropology and Sociology, from Florida International University. Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia ? As someone who transferred from a community college to a public university while working full-time, I am personally motivated to help increase the engagement of Latino students in higher education and ensure their pathway toward robust professional careers. Excelencia’s commitment to accelerating Latino student success beyond typical metrics, such as full-time college enrollment or financial aid status, sees the whole of our community while also recognizing the distinct needs of all students. How would you describe working at Excelencia ? Excelencia is constantly working with institutional and community-based leaders to listen, learn, and help develop ways to more intentionally serve Latino students. It is a privilege to work with such a diverse, professional, and innovative team that is so passionately invested in supporting students throughout their academic journeys.

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.

Paul Jarrell is President of Tillamook Bay Community College and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Tillamook Bay Community College Paul Jarrell President Institution website: https://www.tillamookbaycc.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.tillamookbaycc.edu/new-president/ Paul Jarrell is President of Tillamook Bay Community College and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Taylor Randall is President of the University of Utah and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page University of Utah Taylor Randall President Institution website: https://www.utah.edu/ Bio Page: https://president.utah.edu/president-randall-bio/ Taylor Randall is President of the University of Utah and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Latinos will need to earn 6.2 million degrees by 2030 to reach the U.S. degree attainment goal. Learn about Latino College Completion in North Dakota. Latino College Completion - North Dakota Nationally, the gap in degree completion between Latinos and their White peers continues. However, different patterns emerge within each state or location. To reach the Latino degree attainment goal by 2030, states can close the degree completion gap by accelerating Latino completion while increasing for all students and scale up programs and initiatives that work for Latino, and all, students. To find out more, scroll below. DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET Degree Attainment for Latino Students (2021) 27% Of Latino adults (25 and over) had earned an associate degree or higher VS 48% Of White adults Fast Facts North Dakota had the 47th largest Latino population in the U.S. Latino Population 4% K-12 Population 4% Total Population 2-Year Graduation Rate 30% Latino Students 44% White Students Median Age 24 Latinos 38 White 4-Year Graduation Rate 45% Latino Students 62% White Students Degree Outcomes At two-year institutions , Hispanics' graduation rate was 14%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in North Dakota. At four-year institutions , Hispanics' graduation rate was 17%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in North Dakota. BACK TO MAIN LCC PAGE Top Institutions To find out more about the top institutions enrolling, and awarding associate and bachelor degrees to Hispanics by using the tabs below to navigate the information. Click on the tabs below to explore. ENROLLING ASSOCIATES DEGREES BACHELORS DEGREE Top Institutions Enrolling (Hispanic Undergraduates) in North Dakota, 2021-2022 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 University of North Dakota Public, 4-year or above 8,998 462 5% 2 North Dakota State University-Main Campus Public, 4-year or above 9,932 320 3% 3 Minot State University Public, 4-year or above 2,248 191 8% 4 Bismarck State College Public, 4-year or above 2,613 150 6% 5 University of Jamestown Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above 992 99 10% Top Institutions Awarding Associate Degrees to Hispanics in North Dakota, 2020-2021 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 Bismarck State College Public, 4-year or above 704 27 4% 2 Williston State College Public, 2-year 170 17 10% 3 Rasmussen University-North Dakota Private for-profit, 4-year or above 189 14 7% 4 Lake Region State College Public, 2-year 197 13 7% 5 North Dakota State College of Science Public, 2-year 454 9 2% Top Institutions Awarding Bachelor Degrees to Hispanics in North Dakota, 2020-2021 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 University of North Dakota Public, 4-year or above 1,878 73 4% 2 North Dakota State University-Main Campus Public, 4-year or above 2,433 52 2% 3 Minot State University Public, 4-year or above 504 34 7% 4 University of Mary Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above 548 23 4% 5 University of Jamestown Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above 142 13 9% Examples of What Works for Latino, And All, Students Looking to know what works or connect with evidence-based programs recognized by Excelencia ? 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 your Latino, and all, students. Click here to contact us . Sources Excelencia in Education. (2020). Ensuring America’s Future: Benchmarking Latino College Completion to 2030. Excelencia in Education. Washington, D.C. U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. Excelencia in Education Analysis using the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2021 Fall Enrollment, Graduation Rates Survey and Institutional Characteristics Survey.

Loren J. Blanchard is President of the University of Houston-Downtown and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page University of Houston-Downtown Loren J. Blanchard President Institution website: https://uhd.edu/ Bio Page: https://uhd.edu/president/about.aspx Loren J. Blanchard is President of the University of Houston-Downtown and part of Excelencia in Action network.