Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Vital Supporter Return to 15 Who Helped Excelencia Reach 15 Main Page Excelencia honors and awards its Heart to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for its history of investment and involvement in advocating positive change in Latino student achievement. Through Nisha Patel, Hilary Pennington, Joe Scantlebury, Gabriella Gomez, Nick Lee, Travis Reindl, Suzanne Walsh, Daniel Greenstein, Patrick Methvin, Allan Golston, Alexander Nicholas, and others, the Gates Foundation has provided consistent input and support throughout a decades-long relationship with Excelencia. What began with their recalibration of their higher education and civil rights portfolios and a decision to focus in higher education through programs that work, grew to a thriving partnership between the Gates Foundation and Excelencia. Their support of our research and convenings on Latino college completion were critical to the impact of our acclaimed, multi-year initiative Ensuring America’s Future by Increasing Latino College Completion. Gates supported Excelencia’s analysis in the Reimagining Aid Design and Delivery (RADD) project and were first to support the development strategy for the Seal of Excelencia begun in 2019. Support from the Gates Foundation paved the way for Excelencia to lead and support a national strategy to transform higher education to truly SERVE Latino students. For making common cause with Excelencia and working to address Latino student success as the foundation supports U.S. higher education, Excelencia acknowledges the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and deeply appreciates its contributions and support.
