The First Example of ¡Excelencia! 2005
Excelencia in Education announced the first Example of Excelencia in September of 2005.
The 2005 Example of Excelencia was:
Baccalaureate Level: Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin, TX.
The Department of Mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin was selected as the 2005 Example of Excelencia for its efforts to boost Latino participation, graduation, and pursuit of teaching in mathematics. Data (2003-04) from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) indicated UT's Math Department graduated the most Hispanics with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and statistics in the nation.
The Department's success is credited to key reforms that have been in place for some time, including an Emerging Scholars Program in Mathematics that has enhanced academic success in mathematics and science for traditionally under-represented groups, and strong Latino student participation in UTeach, a teacher certification program in UT's College of Natural Sciences set to address a statewide shortage of mathematics and science teachers.
"The development of Latino mathematics students is part of our larger responsibility for training associated with science and technology that any mathematical sciences department should assume," said Efraim Armendariz, professor of mathematics and department chairman since 1991. "If done conscientiously, all segments of society are incorporated. And that I think is what should be a hallmark of excellence."
Top 5 Institutions Awarding Bachelor's Degrees to Hispanics in Mathematics and Statistics in the United States: 2003-04 |
|||||
| Rank | Institution | State | Gender | Total | |
| Men | Women | ||||
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | 17 | 9 | 26 |
| 2 | University of California - Los Angeles | CA | 19 | 6 | 25 |
| 3 | The University of Texas at Brownsville | TX | 10 | 11 | 21 |
| 4 | The University of Texas-Pan American | TX | 12 | 6 | 18 |
| 5 | University of California-Riverside | CA | 8 | 9 |
17 |
Other supplemental materials include the following items available as PDFs:
To find out more about this program visit the Growing What Works Database. To learn more about the Examples of Excelenica initative visit the overview.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Making Change Possible.pdf | 1.09 MB |
| A Student's Perspective.pdf | 45.14 KB |
2005
Presentation of the 2005 Example of Excelencia Award in Washington, DC, on October 12, 2005. Left to right: Art Ruiz, Board Chair, Excelencia in Education; Jose Estrada, Director of Hispanic Markets,Wal-Mart Stores, Inc; Efraim Armendariz, Chairman, Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Austin; Sarita Brown, President, Excelencia in Education; TX Congressman Ruben Hinojosa, Chair, Education Taskforce, Congressional Hispanic Caucus; NY State Legislator Felix Ortiz, Chairman, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislator
Texas State Rep. Pete Gallego, Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, speaks with Efraim Armendariz, Chairman, Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Austin, at the presentation of the 2005 Example of Excelencia Award ceremony in Washington, DC, on October 12, 2005.
