Three community colleges – all of them in Texas – are among the nine institutions of higher education that earned the 2019 Seal of Excelencia.
Austin Community College District, El Paso Community College and South Texas College were honored by Excelencia in Education on Thursday along with the other institutions that earned a comprehensive certification recognizing their commitment and ability to successfully serve Latino students.
The seal is not a ranking nor an award, said Excelencia in Education CEO Deborah Santiago. To earn the credential, institutions must demonstrate they have made significant strides in terms of data, practice and leadership to support Latino student success.
“At Excelencia, we know that institutions and communities that intentionally measure their postsecondary Latino student success and use evidence-based practices both serve these students well and serve as catalysts for substantive, positive change in public policy,” said Excelencia in Education President Sarita Brown.
“Through the seal certification process, we provide a platform for colleges and universities to reflect on their current impact, practices and policies, and implement new and better ones that respond to Latino students’ realities,” Brown said. “Ultimately, this serves all students.”
“It takes a concerted effort from the top down to better understand students’ needs,” said Austin Community College President Richard Rhodes, who serves on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) board of directors. “Together, we have developed innovative learning strategies, personalized support systems and wraparound services that empower our Latino students.”
Rose Benavidez, vice chair of the board of trustees at South Texas College (STC), expressed appreciation for the leadership of President Shirley Reed, and noted that STC has become a national leader in dual-enrollment opportunities and has 30 early college high schools.
At El Paso Community College (EPCC), partnerships – with the University of El Paso and the local school districts – “are critical to the success of our students,” said Carmen Olivas Graham, vice president of the board of trustees.
Graham credited EPCC President William Serrata, who also serves on the AACC board, with having college officials reach out to elementary school students and begin talking about college-going culture in kindergarten.
Other institutions that earned a 2019 Seal of Excelencia are Arizona State University, California State University Channel Islands, Florida International University, Grand Valley State University (Michigan), the University of Arizona and the University of Texas-El Paso.
Excelencia invited 100 institutions to apply for the inaugural seal. Thirty-three went through the lengthy application process, and 20 were selected as finalists.
