Celebración de ¡Excelencia! 2009

This special event recognized three higher educational programs selected as 2009 Examples of Excelencia and the release of the 2009 edition of What Works for Latino Students in Higher Education Compendium.

SPEAKERS INCLUDED:

• Sarita E. Brown, President, Excelencia in Education
• Raul Grijalva, Representative (AZ), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Education Taskforce Chairman
• Martha Kanter, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
• Arturo Madrid, Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Trinity University and 2009 Dr. John Hope Franklin Award Recipient
• John Wilson, Executive Director, National Education Association
• Arturo Vargas, Executive Director, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials

Today, only 19 percent of Latinos in the U.S. ages 25 and over had earned an associate degree or higher. The good news is there are programs and departments throughout the country investing strategically to improve results for Latino students, and all students.

For the fifth year, Excelencia in Education conducted a review of national nominations to identify exemplary programs and departments at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels with evidence of improving Latino access, retention, and success in higher education.

The staff of Excelencia used a multi-step process that recognizes the importance of evidence-based evaluation and referred the strongest nomination summaries for consideration by national experts.