Translating College Access into Success for Latino Students

2007 Examples of Excelencia Celebración and Symposium
(Held in coordination with NCAN)
October 9- 10, 2007

Click above to watch Ivelisse Estrada's welcome from the 2007 Examples of Excelencia Celebración.

Over 250 educators, college access professionals, business and philanthropic professionals were with us on October 9, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA, for the Celebración and announcement of the 2007 Examples of Excelencia. Representatives from three programs at institutions of higher education—two in California and one in Texas—were honored as “Examples of Excelencia“ (examples of excellence) through our a national campaign to programs and departments boosting Latino college enrollment, performance and graduation at the associates, baccalaureate and graduate levels.

From California, the Enlace Program (PDF) at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose was named the associate level Example of Excelencia and the Compact for Success (PDF) at San Diego State University was named as the baccalaureate level Example of Excelencia.  From Texas, the Psychological Services for Spanish Speaking Populations (PDF) program at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, was named the graduate level Example of Excelencia.  Read the full press release. (PDF)

We are grateful to Ivelisse Estrada from Univision Communications and Jorge Haynes from California State University System who served as co-chairs for this year’s host committee. You may find the full listing of host committee members and sponsors as well as the 2007 Examples Excelencia including semi-finalist and honorable mention honorees in the Celebración and Symposium Program (PDF)

In addition, a special publication with descriptions and contact information for key personnel for all the 2007 Examples of Excelencia was prepared and released at Celebración, What Works for Latino Students in Higher Education: 2007 Compendium  (PDF)

Pictures from the Celebración and Symposium

Excelencia Symposium
On October 10, 2007 Excelencia in Education president Sarita Brown started off the symposium by sharing early results from an ongoing study, supported by the Lumina Foundation for Education, examining higher education’s capacity and affordability to serve Latino students  This Excelencia study looks specifically at Latino students in the context of new analysis about higher educational levels in the U.S. and underscores the importance of improving Latino student success to meet the country’s needs for human capital. 

While there is an emerging consensus to focus on increasing higher educational achievement, there remains a need for better information about promising practices to accelerate Latino student success in higher education. The Examples of Excelencia responds to this challenge and the panel of 2007 Examples of Excelencia described how they achieve positive results for Latino students at the associate, baccalaureate and graduate levels. It suggested ways their tactics and strategies may be adapted to meet the needs of other communities throughout the country.  Click here for more information about these outstanding programs (PDF).

The final segment included highlights from the ACT report, State of College Readiness for Latino Students (PDF).  Deborah Santiago, vice president of policy and research at Excelencia in Education, followed by presenting findings from VOCES (Voices): A Profile of Today’s Latino College Students (PDF). This new research blends analyses of national statistics and data derived from student focus groups.