Excelencia Policy Fellows
Excelencia in Education chose seven higher education professionals for the 2024 cohort of Policy Fellows. They come from trendsetting colleges and universities that have earned the Seal of Excelencia, a national certification for institutions that go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students across key areas of data, practice, and leadership.
Over the last 20 years, Excelencia has worked to transform higher education with the understanding that good policy is informed by good practice. We also seek to amplify Latino voices to inform higher education policy at the national level.
Our second cohort of Policy Fellows will draw from their expertise at the campus level to engage Excelencia’s policy agenda at the national level. They will create a community of learning and practice by sharing their perspectives in national conversations about affordability, institutional capacity, retention and transfer, and workforce preparation to accelerate Latino student success.
2024 Policy Fellows
Maria Ochoa-Alvarez
Dean of Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center, City Colleges of Chicago – Wilbur Wright College
Zodet Negrón
Executive Director of Public Relations, Mercy University
Ernesto Guerrero
Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Retention, California State University Channel Islands
Fernando Chapa
Dean for Institutional Research, Effectiveness, and Strategic Planning, South Texas College
Daniel C. Vélez
Associate Vice President for Admissions and Recruitment, Grand Valley State University
Claudia Hernández
Chief of Staff to the President, University at Albany, SUNY
Sonia De La Torre
Dean, Student Equity, Long Beach City College