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May 7, 2013 (All day)

WASHINGTON - Sarita Brown, president and co-founder of Excelencia in Education, delivered the keynote address at Kansas State University's Semillas de Excelencia Learning Communities Banquet and Awards in Manhattan, Kan., today. 

"We are excited to have Sarita share her experiences and insight with the campus community," said April Mason, provost of Kansas State University.  "Ms. Brown is one of the most distinguished and well-regarded thought leaders in advancing educational opportunities for diverse and multicultural students.  Her expertise is sure to benefit all of us at Kansas State University as we work together to enhance opportunities and expand student success for all."

"Latinos are a tremendous asset to Kansas and to America, and by stepping up to meet the needs of Latino students in thoughtful, focused, and intentional ways, we can ensure our nation's strength and success for the future," said Brown.  "Kansas State University has been a shining example of how an institution can make great progress at promoting success for Latino students by seeking them out, understanding them, and supporting them through graduation and beyond.  That's not only good for the students and the institution, but it's good for the communities those Latino alumni go on to serve, and for the entire nation."

Oct 9, 2012 (All day)

WASHINGTON, October 9, 2012 - Excelencia in Education today announced a new $150,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to build out its partnership with Single Stop USA as part of its national initiative Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion. 

"America cannot become the world leader in college completion without focusing on increasing college completion among our growing Latino population," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.  "Community colleges are vital to that effort and are a clear point of intersection between our efforts and Single Stop USA.  We are proud to receive this new support from the Kellogg Foundation, which will support that work." 

Excelencia in Education brings together stakeholders across America and empowers them with the information they need to advance Latino student success in higher education -- from statistical data to empirical research, and from tactical analysis to promising practices.  Single Stop USA helps increase community college completion rates by providing a one-stop solution for low-income community college students and their families to have full access to public benefits for which they are eligible.

The grant will enable Excelencia in Education to integrate Single Stop USA into its Ensuring America's Future initiative and leverage this new collaboration to put Excelencia's Roadmap for Ensuring America's Future and state fact sheets in front of key Community College leaders.

Oct 2, 2012 (All day)

 

WASHINGTON - Elected officials and higher education leaders from across the country joined Excelencia in Education at the U.S. Capitol today to announce the 2012 Examples of Excelencia.  The annual Celebraciòn de Excelencia event honors top programs that increase academic opportunities and improve achievement for Latino students at the associate, bachelor, and graduate level.  The accompanying release of "What Works for Latino Student Success in Higher Education" is part of a portfolio of hundreds of evidence-based practices that institutions and policy makers can draw on to improve Latino student success.

Latinos will have to earn 5.5 million college degrees by 2020 for America to achieve President Barack Obama's goal of American world leadership in college degrees by 2020. 

Over the past seven years, Excelencia in Education has systematically reviewed more than 500 programs to identify and recognize over 100 programs and departments that demonstrate with evidence that they effectively boost Latino enrollment, performance and graduation.  Top honors this year went to programs run by Valencia College in Orlando, Fla., California State University Bakersfield, and The University of Texas, El Paso.  Sixteen other programs were recognized as national finalists. 

"America cannot become the world leader in college degrees, nor will it have a globally competitive workforce in the future, if it does not focus on improving Latino college completion," said Rep. Charles Gonzalez, Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who spoke at today's event.

"Today's Examples of Excelencia and finalists are at the forefront of meeting the challenge of improving higher educational achievement for Latino students," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.  "With 2020 quickly approaching, we have accumulated a significant portfolio of evidence-based practices that institutions and policy makers can and must put into action."

For the 2012 Examples of Excelencia review, 159 programs were nominated at three academic levels: associate, bachelor, and graduate.

Associate Level Example of Excelencia: Valencia College's DirectConnect

At the associate level, the DirectConnect program at Valencia College was introduced in 2006 as a partnership between the University of Central Florida and four Central Florida colleges: Valencia College, Brevard and Lake-Sumter Community Colleges, and Seminole State College.  Open to all students, this transfer initiative places emphasis on the student experience, smooth transition from college to the university, shared-use of facilities, and strong academic programs and services. Latino students in Valencia's DirectConnect comprised fully 35 percent of all Latino transfer students to UCF in the 2010-11 academic year.  Half of undergraduate minority students who started at UCF in 2010-2011 were Valencia transfer students.

"In DirectConnect, we have built educational pathways to the bachelors degree and beyond for thousands of Hispanic students, creating the most productive two plus two higher educational partnership in the U.S.," said Dr. Joyce C. Romano, vice president for student affairs at Valencia College.  "Through DirectConnect, Valencia graduates have literally changed the faces of the UCF bachelors degree graduates."

"If you don't use DirectConnect, when you get here, you're going to be short something, and you're not going to have all the information and it will be difficult," said Hector Perez, a Valencia DirectConnect graduate finishing his bachelors degree at UCF.  "But with DirectConnect, it cuts everything out of the way and it makes it simple."

Baccalaureate Level Example of Excelencia: California State University Bakersfield's

School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering

At the bachelor level, the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering at California State University Bakersfield set out to increase the number of students earning science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees, with a specific focus on increasing the number of under-represented minority, and particularly Latino, students.

"We have vigorously engaged in increasing the number of students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for the last six years," said Dr. Julio R. Blanco, dean of CSUB's School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering.  "Our goal is that our graduating class parallels the demographics of our community.  We've succeeded in increasing Latino participation, which is currently about 40 percent of the students in STEM.  The addition of engineering has added a new pathway to well-paying jobs in our region."

Through targeted recruitment and retention efforts, including integrating student support services into STEM degree pathways, CSUB's School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering has successfully improved Latino STEM enrollment.  Their Latino STEM enrollment has grown from 670 students in 2006 to 1039 students currently, of which 40 percent are Latino.  This is a 55 percent increase in overall enrollment and an 88 percent increase in Latino enrollment. 

"My mother is a single mother who was always working really hard, and I had an older brother and younger brother who each dropped out of high school.  Now I will be the first in my family to graduate from college," said Jose Anastacio Ochoa, a physics major at the School of Natural Sciences, who is applying to graduate school.  "I transferred to CSUB from community college and felt welcomed.  Hispanic students will be surprised they can love and succeed in science.  Here, they inspire me always to do better, to do greater.  If I'm stuck on a particular problem, they go out of their way to make sure I understand the concepts so I can get the problem solved."

Graduate Level Example of Excelencia: University of Texas, El Paso's

Master of Business Administration

At the graduate level, the Master of Business Administration program at the University of Texas, El Paso offers degree formats that are accessible to full-time students and working professionals alike.  By creating academic and co-curricular opportunities that lead to student success, the UTEP MBA program expands students' cultural and professional capital, which is key to degree completion and securing career opportunities.

"The UTEP MBA program is guided by the fundamental principle that talent is everywhere and that all talent should have an equitable opportunity to be realized.  That principle is reflected in the efforts and outcomes of our students, alumni, faculty and staff," said Laura M. Uribarri, assistant dean for MBA programs, University of Texas, El Paso.  "It is an absolute honor to have our efforts and outcomes recognized by Excelencia in Education." 

"It's just a point of pride for my family and as a Hispanic and as a woman.  I'm the first person in my family pursuing a graduate degree," said Neyda Reed, a current UTEP MBA student.

"I can say it with some certainty that I wouldn't have been able to apply and been accepted to work at Amazon if I didn't have the MBA from UTEP," said Eli Pabon, a 2011 UTEP MBA graduate.  "They were impressed with the type of program we have here."

"What Works for Latino Student Success in Higher Education"

To download "What Works for Latino Student Success in Higher Education," which includes detailed information about all of the programs recognized today, visit www.EdExcelencia.org.

"This compendium is a central component of the Examples of Excelencia initiative," said Deborah Santiago, vice president of Excelencia in Education and author of the publication.  "By sharing what works, we hope to prompt educators and policymakers to challenge the current status of Latino achievement in higher education and inspire these decision makers to work to increase Latino student success."

The keynote speaker at today's event, Elsa M. Núñez, president of Eastern Connecticut State University, underscored Excelencia in Education's role in recognizing and leveraging effective strategies for Latino student success.  In 2009, Excelencia in Education recognized how ESCU had used its Dual Enrollment Program to accelerate greater Latino student academic achievement.  Subsequently ESCU was selected as one of 20 institutions to receive a $50,000 Walmart SEMILLAS grant which Núñez and her team grew into a multiple award-winning endeavor empowering Latino students to complete their degrees.  Excelencia in Education helps institutions and communities maximize modest amounts of money to accelerate Latino student success at institutions across America.

As part of today's program, the Lumina Foundation joined Excelencia in Education to announce its new Lumina Latino Student Success project, through which Lumina is providing a total of $11.5 million over four years to 13 different partnerships.  The partnerships will leverage community leaders across key policy, education, business and nonprofit sectors to build, implement and sustain college preparation, access and success strategies for Latino students.

"Lumina Latino Student Success grew out of our mutual efforts to leverage the untapped potential of Latino students to move America toward world leadership in college degrees," said Brown.  "This is a natural partnership for us, and we look forward to being a trusted resource and serving as the intermediary for the Lumina Latino Student Success sites and our national partners throughout the implementation of this shared vision."

Examples of Excelencia is the only national initiative to systematically identify and honor institution-based programs and departments that demonstrate with evidence that they effectively boost Latino enrollment, performance and graduation.  It is supported by ACT, USA Funds, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Southwest Airlines, EduK, Univision Communications, College Board, California State University System, Latinos In Higher Education and New Futuro.

Excelencia in Education is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate Latino student success in higher education.

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2012 Examples of Excelencia Honorees

 

Associate Level: DirectConnect, Valencia College, Orlando, Florida

Bachelor Level: School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering, California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield, California

Graduate Level: Master of Business Administration Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas


2012 Examples of Excelencia National Finalists

Associate Level

  • Green Science and Technology Curriculum Project, East Los Angeles College, Monterey Park, California
  • Math Jam, Pasadena City College, Pasadena, California
  • Puerta al Futuro - Gateway to the Future, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey
  • Reverse Transfer Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas
  • Transitional Bilingual Learning Community, Harry S Truman College, Chicago, Illinois

Bachelor Level

  • Academy for Teacher Excellence, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
  • Bilingual/Bicultural Education Students Interacting to Obtain Success (BESITOS) Scholarship Program, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
  • Computer and Information Sciences Department, The University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, Texas
  • Encuentro Hacia El Exito (Encounter to Excellence), California State University, Dominguez Hills, Dominguez Hills, California
  • The Mathematics and Science Academy, The University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, Texas
  • Multicultural Student Mentor Program, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington

Graduate Level

  • Department of Sociomedical Sciences Doctoral Program, Columbia University, New York, New York
  • Discipline-Based Dual Language Immersion Model, Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez, Orlando, Florida
  • Master of Bilingual Education Program, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
  • Ph.D. in English, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Sep 12, 2012 (All day)

WASHINGTON, September 12, 2012 - Excelencia in Education today announced a new partnership with Southwest Airlines to support the 2012 Examples of Excelencia initiative and its groundbreaking endeavor, Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion.

"Latinos will have to almost triple the number of degrees earned currently for America to return to world leadership in college completion by 2020," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.  "This partnership with Southwest Airlines will help Excelencia continue to engage stakeholders across America and to identify and recognize promising practices that can help our nation achieve that objective."

Southwest Airlines provided $20,000 worth of travel in support of campus attendance at the annual Celebraciòn de Excelencia to be held on Oct. 2 at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington.  This capstone event will recognize the 2012 Examples of Excelencia at the associates, baccalaureate and graduate levelsSupport from Southwest Airlines will also facilitate participation by educational leaders in the upcoming strategic convening, Latino College Completion: Rio Grande Valley.

"We are proud to support Excelencia's critical work through this valuable partnership," said Lidia S. Martinez, manager of community affairs and grassroots for Southwest Airlines Co.  "Southwest Airlines understands that America's future success is closely tied to the educational success of the Latino community, and highlighting successful programs is an important way spread practices that can increase Latino college completion."

May 16, 2012 (All day)

 

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2012 - Excelencia in Education today unveiled a new analysis of the top 25 institutions graduating Latinos in health professions and related programs, along with examples of promising institutional practices.  Entitled Finding Your Workforce: The Top 25 Institutions Graduating Latinos in Health Professions and Related Programs by Academic Level, this analysis is part of a project to inform recruiters and employers of institutions graduating Latinos in key sectors and encourage them to do more to engage Latinos in their workforce.

Key findings of the analysis show:

  • Latinos in the healthcare workforce are more likely to be in lower paying support occupations-such as home health aides or nursing aides-than higher paying practitioner and technical occupations-such as physicians, surgeons, or dentists.
  • In 2009-10, 70 percent of Latinos graduating in health fields and related programs earned certificates or associate degrees.
  • At the undergraduate level, the top 25 institutions at each academic level conferring certificates or degrees to Latinos in 2009-10 were located in only six states-Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico-and Puerto Rico.

"One-third of the projected fastest growing occupations are related to health care, and Latinos are projected to account for three quarters of the growth in America's workforce by 2020," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.  "Excelencia in Education is providing practical information for health care industry leaders to make the direct connection between Latino college completion and America's future workforce."

Apr 10, 2012 (All day)

 

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2012 - To inform state-level action on Latino college completion, Excelencia in Education today released 50 separate research-based fact sheets detailing the current status of college completion among Latinos in each state.

"The United States cannot retain its international competitiveness unless we improve Latino college completion. While there are things we must do in  Washington to advance this cause, this is an issue thatrequires leadership at all levels - from school boards to statehouses across America. True to its unique ability to provide actionable data and to engage a multitude of stakeholders to accelerate Latino college completion, Excelencia in Education has given leaders in all 50 states information they can use to engage the talents of Latino students and make their states and our country stronger." said U.S. Rep. Charles Gonzalez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.


"We are committed to bringing together stakeholders across America and empowering them with the information they need to advance Latino student success in higher education -- from statistical data to empirical research, and from tactical analysis to promising academic practices," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education. "These 50 state fact sheets will put all of that into the hands of state, institutional, and community leaders who need it."

Jan 31, 2012 (All day)

 

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2012 - Excelencia in Education today announced new grants from the Ford Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, totaling $950,000, to support its ground breaking national initiative, Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion. 

"Latinos will have to almost triple the number of degrees earned currently for America to return to world leadership in college completion by 2020," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.  "These grants will help Excelencia continue to fulfill its unique role providing actionable research and engaging stakeholders across America to implement strategies and tactics that result from that research."

The $200,000, 18-month grant from the Ford Foundation will enable Excelencia to strengthen national Ensuring America's Future efforts to inform and engage stakeholders in the use of tactics and strategies to increase Latino college completion.  Additionally, the grant will support work to inform, identify, organize, and expand efforts to close equity gaps in college completion in Colorado and the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas.

Oct 17, 2011 (All day)

 

MEMPHIS, TN - At yesterday's Radio Ambiente Festival Latino in Shelby Farms Park, Marcela Pinilla did what she does for a living: she sang a song.

But this song was different - and that performance was just the beginning. The song is about changing our world for the better, one small act of kindness at a time. It's called "Un Mundo Bueno," and Marcela (and some special friends) hope to bring its message to life.

All proceeds from the sales of the single will jointly benefit Excelencia in Education, a national organization that aims to accelerate higher education success for Latino students through promoting education policies and institutional practices that support their academic development, and the National Hispanic Professional Organization (NHPO)'s La Sangre Llama and Future Latino Leaders Scholarships.

Marcela's goal is to raise $250,000 by Christmas. It may seem an ambitious figure to some, but not to the Colombian singer. "There are 50 million Latinos in this country," she said. "And all I'm asking for is $250,000. For 250,000 to give just one dollar for education."

Sep 28, 2011 (All day)

 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha J. Kanter and Jon Whitmore, CEO of ACT, joined Excelencia in Education at the U.S. Capitol here today to announce the 2011 Examples of Excelencia, top programs that increase degree completion among Latinos at the associate, bachelor, and graduate level.

Top honors went to programs run by El Paso Community College, Texas Tech University, and Carlos Albizu University, San Juan Campus, marking the first program from Puerto Rico to be recognized since Examples of Excelencia launched in 2005.  Sixteen other programs were honored as national finalists.  All of the programs recognized during the Celebraciòn de Excelencia 2011 event are listed in the latest edition of "What Works for Latino Students in Higher Education," which Excelencia in Education released today and is available for download at www.EdExcelencia.org.

Aug 9, 2011 (All day)

SAN FRANCISCO - State and local elected officials joined Excelencia in Education and its partners to release "Latino College Completion: California" at the Westin San Francisco Market Street here today, and to unveil a new expansion of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund's "Generation 1st Degree" program.  Both are part of the initiative Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion, a collaborative effort among 60 national partners led by Excelencia in Education. 

"One in four Latinos in the United States live in California, and this research-based assessment of the status of Latino degree attainment is especially timely for state and local leaders committed to improving the California's human capital," said Deborah Santiago, co-founder of Excelencia in Education. 

Jun 22, 2011 (All day)

SAN ANTONIO - Representative Joaquin Castro joined Excelencia in Education at Café College here today to release a new research-based fact sheet, "Latino College Completion: Texas," and to unveil "Graduation Texas: Engage, Advise, Retain, Graduate," a new project by ACT, Inc. to increase college degree completion for south Texas students.  Both are part of the initiative Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion, a collaborative effort among 60 national partners led by Excelencia in Education. 

Dec 7, 2010 (All day)

WASHINGTON, D.C. [CapitalWirePR] - Excelencia in Education (Excelencia) has received support from Lumina Foundation to further the national initiative, Ensuring America’s Future (EAF) by Increasing Latino College Completion. The $400,000 grant will be used to advance a growing collaboration of more than 50 organizations partnering across the country in support of a policy roadmap to increase Latino college completion. The roadmap will be released in March 2011 to inform and drive large-scale efforts at the campus, state, and national levels to better enroll and graduate Hispanic college students.

Sep 21, 2010 (All day)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C. - based non-profit organization was awarded a $1 million grant by the Kresge Foundation to support the organization's mission to accelerate Latino student success in higher education.

Sep 8, 2010 (All day)

 

WASHINGTON, DC - Excelencia in Education today announced the next step in the national initiative, Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion, at a press conference highlighting the start of a new capital campaign-a human capital campaign. The national initiative is focused on increasing Latino college completion.  

The objective is to help reach the country's college completion goals now through 2025 by increasing Latino college completion.

Feb 8, 2010 (All day)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new report released today examines how a growing number of U.S. colleges and universities are adapting their educational practices and policies to better serve the needs of Latino students.

"Emerging HSIs: Serving Latino Students" authored by Excelencia in Education with support from the TG Public Benefits Program, reveals that emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) - institutions that enroll 15-24 percent or more undergraduate full-time equivalent Hispanic students- are not waiting for official HSI status to enact policies to better serve Latino students.

"We can learn from these emerging colleges that are producing successful results," said Deborah Santiago, report author and Vice President for Policy and Research at Excelencia in Education. "As the number of college-going Hispanics and HSIs continues to grow, it's important to understand what it means to serve Latino students well, and we can look to these colleges as models."