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< Back to News Page Excelencia in Education Recognizes Programs Intentionally Serving Latino, and all, Students in Higher Education Aug 13, 2024 Contact: Media@EdExcelencia.org DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE Eighteen Programs Attain National Recognition as Examples of Excelencia Finalists for Evidence-Based Practices Making a Positive Impact on Latino, and all, Student Success WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 13, 2024) – In our 20th year of service to accelerate Latino student success while increasing all student success in higher education, Excelencia in Education announced today the finalists for the 2024 Examples of Excelencia , recognizing 18 programs across the country that intentionally serve Latino students amongst all in higher education with culturally relevant and asset-based programming. Examples of Excelencia is the only national, data-driven effort to identify, aggregate, and promote evidence-based practices increasing Latino student success amongst all served in higher education. Since 2005, Excelencia has received over 2,000 program submissions, recognized over 400 programs for their impact, and raised and awarded over $2 million to programs making a positive difference for Latino, and all, students across the country. This year’s finalists demonstrate an intentional and aligned approach in supporting Latino and other post-traditional students academically, financially, and socially. These efforts lead to improved retention and persistence rates as students work toward credit and degree completion. Practitioners and leaders can look to the 2024 Examples of Excelencia finalists as models of what is possible when you intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. “Participating in Examples of Excelencia allows practitioners to assess and share the impact of their program on Latino participants. Excelencia applauds this year’s finalists for ensuring their programming intentionally serves Latino students in comprehensive and asset-based ways to support them to and through college,” said Adriana Rodriguez, COO and vice president for institutional programs at Excelencia in Education. The 18 finalists were selected through a review of 103 program submissions representing higher education institutions and community-based organizations across 20 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in four categories: associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations. Programmatic details about the finalists will be featured in Excelencia’s Growing What Works Database — the only national database for institutional leaders, funders, policymakers, and others interested in evidence-based programming for Latino, and all, students. On September 30, Excelencia will announce four of the 18 finalists selected as the 2024 Examples of Excelencia at Celebración de Excelencia , the organization’s annual recognition event, in Washington, D.C. The event convenes practitioners, policymakers, and professionals who are setting the national agenda for Latino, and all, student success in higher education. This year, Excelencia in Education also recognizes 12 Programs to Watch from eight states. These programs were identified because of their promising efforts already making a positive impact on Latino, and all, student success while building their evidence of effectiveness. The 2024 Examples of Excelencia finalists are: ASSOCIATE LEVEL: Community Health Worker from the Richard J. Daley College and the Arturo Velasquez Institute – Chicago, IL English for Academic Purposes from Reading Area Community College – Reading, PA NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) from Cerritos College – Norwalk, CA Pathway to Law School from Santa Ana College – Santa Ana, CA The Village from Cerritos College – Norwalk, CA The Writing Center from Santa Barbara City College – Santa Barbara, CA BACCALAUREATE LEVEL: College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Scholars Project from Arizona State University – Tempe, AZ Pedagogical Interest Groups (PIGs) from Indiana University Northwest – Gary, IN The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) from Washington State University – Pullman, WA Upward Bound from California State University, San Bernardino – San Bernardino, CA GRADUATE LEVEL: Master of Science in Higher Education (MSHE) from California State University, Fullerton – Fullerton, CA Master of Arts in Multilingual and Multicultural Studies from Texas Woman’s University – Denton, TX Project upGRADS from California State University, Fullerton – Fullerton, CA COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS: College Bound / College Success from Foundation for a College Education – East Palo Alto, CA LEAF College Success Program from Latino Education Advancement Foundation – San Jose, CA Career Pathways: Empowering Students to Succeed from The Immokalee Foundation, Inc. – Immokalee, FL Thrive Scholars 6-Year Program from Thrive Scholars – Los Angeles, CA Enhancing Career Pathways for Latinos in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) from Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) – Mercedes, TX Learn more about the 2024 finalists for the Examples of Excelencia : EdExcelencia.org/what-works-examples-excelencia/examples-excelencia-finalists About Excelencia in Education Excelencia in Education leads a national network of results-oriented educators and policymakers transforming higher education 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 ensures access to excellence by promoting student achievement, informing educational policies, and advancing evidence-based practices to more intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. For more information, visit: EdExcelencia.org

Richard Muma is President of Wichita State University and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Wichita State University Richard Muma President Institution website: https://www.wichita.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.wichita.edu/administration/president/rick_muma_bio.php Richard Muma is President of Wichita State University and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Katrina Bell-Jordan is Interim President of Northeastern Illinois University and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Northeastern Illinois University Katrina Bell-Jordan Interim President Institution website: https://www.neiu.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.neiu.edu/news/katrina-e-bell-jordan-named-interim-president-of-northeastern-illinois-university#:~:text=Bell%2DJordan%20came%20to%20Northeastern,Sciences%20associate%20dean%20in%202015 Katrina Bell-Jordan is Interim President of Northeastern Illinois University and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Francisco Solis is President of San Antonio College and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page San Antonio College Francisco Solis President Institution website: https://www.alamo.edu/sac/ Bio Page: https://www.alamo.edu/sac/news-events/news/2024/march/solis-named-as-interim-president/ Francisco Solis is President of San Antonio College and part of Excelencia in Action network. Seal of Excelencia Recertified Institution: 2025-2028 San Antonio College (SAC) is a public, two-year Hispanic-Serving Institution located in San Antonio, Texas, where Latinos comprise 65% of the community. SAC serves over 19,000 students with Latinos representing 70% of the student population.

Jeffrey P. Nasse is Chancellor of Pima Community College and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Pima Community College Jeffrey P. Nasse Chancellor Institution website: https://www.pima.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.pima.edu/about-pima/leadership-policies/chancellor/index.html Jeffrey P. Nasse is Chancellor of Pima Community College and part of Excelencia in Action network. Seal of Excelencia Certified Institution: 2024-2027 Pima Community College (PCC) is located just one-hour north of the U.S.-Mexico border in Tucson, Arizona. The PCC student population reflects 49% Latino, of which 66% attend part-time and 33% attend full-time. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution dedicated to fostering pathways to high-skill, high-wage jobs, PCC has undertaken a strategic approach to align their educational offerings with the needs of the local labor market, presenting significant opportunities for social and economic mobility, particularly to its Latino community.

Valerie Sheares Ashby is President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page University of Maryland, Baltimore County Valerie Sheares Ashby President Institution website: https://umbc.edu/ Bio Page: https://umbc.edu/leadership/president/ Valerie Sheares Ashby is President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County and part of Excelencia in Action network.

Andrés Henríquez is the Director of STEM Education Strategy at the Education Development Center, and Excelencia in Education's Board Member. < Back to Our People Page Andrés Henríquez Director of STEM Education Strategy, US Division Education Development Center, Inc. Andrés Henríquez is the Director of STEM Education Strategy at the Education Development Center, and a national expert in science, educational technology, and policy. He brings extensive experience in philanthropy, having served as a program officer at the National Science Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He is deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of underserved children and most recently, led a partnership between the New York Hall of Science, public schools, and first-generation Latino families in Corona, Queens. Earlier in his career, he worked at EDC’s Center for Children and Technology, where he led a partnership between Bell Atlantic and Union City Schools that fueled a community transformation in Union City, New Jersey, and received national recognition from President Clinton.

Thomas Poon is President of Loyola Marymount University and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page Loyola Marymount University Thomas Poon President Institution website: https://www.lmu.edu/ Bio Page: https://president.lmu.edu/ Thomas Poon is President of Loyola Marymount University 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 Minnesota. Latino College Completion - Minnesota 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) 30% Of Latino adults (25 and over) had earned an associate degree or higher VS 53% Of White adults Fast Facts Minnesota had the 28th largest Latino population in the U.S. Latino Population 9% K-12 Population 6% Total Population 2-Year Graduation Rate 24% Latino Students 41% White Students Median Age 25 Latinos 42 White 4-Year Graduation Rate 60% Latino Students 71% White Students Degree Outcomes At two-year institutions , Hispanics' graduation rate was 17%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in Minnesota. At four-year institutions , Hispanics' graduation rate was 11%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in Minnesota. 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 Minnesota, 2021-2022 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Public, 4-year or above 30,734 1,593 5% 2 Capella University Private for-profit, 4-year or above 12,378 1,480 12% 3 Normandale Community College Public, 2-year 6,157 858 14% 4 Century College Public, 2-year 6,270 630 10% 5 Minneapolis Community and Technical College Public, 2-year 4,806 627 13% Top Institutions Awarding Associate Degrees to Hispanics in Minnesota, 2020-2021 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 Normandale Community College Public, 2-year 1,156 110 10% 2 Minneapolis Community and Technical College Public, 2-year 767 106 14% 3 Century College Public, 2-year 1,086 73 7% 4 St Catherine University Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above 354 64 18% 5 Saint Paul College Public, 2-year 653 59 9% Top Institutions Awarding Bachelor Degrees to Hispanics in Minnesota, 2020-2021 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 Capella University Private for-profit, 4-year or above 5,208 479 9% 2 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Public, 4-year or above 8,268 412 5% 3 Walden University Private for-profit, 4-year or above 1,729 130 8% 4 Metropolitan State University Public, 4-year or above 1,886 129 7% 5 Minnesota State University-Mankato Public, 4-year or above 2,441 108 4% 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.

The purpose of this issue brief is to provide a common definition and methodology for identifying HSIs that will result in more consistent and verifiable analysis. < Back Essay: Creating a List of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Excelencia in Education April 2026 DOWNLOADS/LINKS Publication SHARE RESEARCH LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Overview Excelencia in Education has been tracking the growth of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (eHSIs), and Hispanic-Serving Institutions with Graduate Programs (gHSIs) for over 20 years and has released its analyses on these institutions annually. The purpose of this essay is to provide a common definition and methodology for identifying HSIs that will result in better, more accurate analysis. In the current federal landscape, where no active eligibility framework or comprehensive HSI list exists, this approach offers a consistent and transparent way to identify these institutions. Using a common definition based on an established methodology will more accurately represent this group of institutions. As the Latino population continues to grow, so will the number of Latino college-bound students. The number and size of HSIs will also continue to grow and will play a critical role in enhancing Latino students' access to higher education throughout the United States. Excelencia’s methodology excludes institutions with fewer than 100 total undergraduate students enrolled. Their enrollment fluctuates enough year to year that HSI status can change based on a difference of one or two Latino students, which would produce inconsistent identification across years. For example, an institution enrolling 100 undergraduates needs 25 Latino students to meet the 25% threshold, meaning a single student's continued enrollment determines whether that institution appears on the list. The sustainability of these smaller institutions is limited, as their small enrollment signals a lack of viability and sufficient resources for operations long-term. Further, institutions of this size are unlikely to be competitive for Title V capacity-building funds relative to larger, more established institutions. Suggested Citation Excelencia in Education. (2026). Essay: Creating a List of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) . Washington, D.C.: Excelencia in Education. Learn more in Excelencia’s new HSI Factbook. Return to Research Library Related Research by Issue Area - Education Pathways Financial Aid Institutional Practices Student Success Workforce

Jennifer Cowley is President of The University of Texas at Arlington and part of Excelencia in Action network. < Back to E-Action Main Page The University of Texas at Arlington Jennifer Cowley President Institution website: https://www.uta.edu/ Bio Page: https://www.uta.edu/administration/president/meet-the-president#:~:text=Jennifer%20Cowley%2C%20Ph.&text=Jennifer%20Cowley%20is%20the%20first,her%20career%20to%20public%20service Jennifer Cowley is President of The University of Texas at Arlington and part of Excelencia in Action network. Seal of Excelencia Recertified Institution: 2025-2028 The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is a Carnegie Research 1 and Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With 41,000 students, of which 34% are Latino, UTA recently awarded a record 11,526 degrees, making it the third-largest degree producer in Texas.

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 Montana. Latino College Completion - Montana 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) 28% Of Latino adults (25 and over) had earned an associate degree or higher VS 45% Of White adults Fast Facts Montana had the 45th largest Latino population in the U.S. Latino Population 7% K-12 Population 4% Total Population 2-Year Graduation Rate 12% Latino Students 38% White Students Median Age 25 Latinos 42 White 4-Year Graduation Rate 36% Latino Students 51% White Students Degree Outcomes At two-year institutions , Hispanics' graduation rate was 26%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in Montana. At four-year institutions , Hispanics' graduation rate was 15%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in Montana. 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 Montana, 2021-2022 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 Montana State University Public, 4-year or above 14,329 745 5% 2 The University of Montana Public, 4-year or above 7,026 439 6% 3 Montana State University Billings Public, 4-year or above 2,818 183 6% 4 Rocky Mountain College Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above 807 72 9% 5 The University of Montana-Western Public, 4-year or above 1,283 62 5% Top Institutions Awarding Associate Degrees to Hispanics in Montana, 2020-2021 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 Montana State University Billings Public, 4-year or above 220 20 9% 2 The University of Montana Public, 4-year or above 253 15 6% 3 Great Falls College Montana State University Public, 2-year 214 14 7% 4 Montana State University Public, 4-year or above 115 9 8% 5 Helena College University of Montana Public, 2-year 168 8 5% Top Institutions Awarding Bachelor Degrees to Hispanics in Montana, 2020-2021 Rank Institutions Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic 1 Montana State University Public, 4-year or above 2,572 98 4% 2 The University of Montana Public, 4-year or above 1,263 60 5% 3 Montana State University Billings Public, 4-year or above 408 21 5% 4 Carroll College Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above 254 10 4% 5 The University of Montana-Western Public, 4-year or above 189 8 4% 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.