Four higher education programs, the "Examples of Excellence," were recognized for their evidence-based efforts to promote the success of Latino college students not only in the classroom, but also in the exercise of the profession.

According to NBC News, “The four programs were selected from a pool of 93 submissions and 20 finalists by Excelencia in Education, one of the country’s leading education think tanks focused on Latino college completion”.

According to the organization’s guidelines, “Since 2005, Examples of Excelencia has been the only national effort recognizing evidence-based programs improving Latino student success in higher education. This year an external selection committee selected 4 programs among our 20 Finalists that stand out for their evidence-based efforts to advance Latino student success in higher education. These programs are based across four levels: Associate, Baccalaureate, Graduate, and Community-Based Organizations. The four programs are leaders in intentionally serving Latino students in culturally responsive, asset-based ways that positively impact students and their communities”.

Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of "Excelencia in Education”,said  in a statement to NBC News that “It is important to celebrate what is working for Latino students on campuses and at community-based organizations in front of a national audience of practitioners, funders, and policymakers”.

The Examples of Excellence 2022 are:

●       The Latino Promise and HACER programs at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey (associate level).

●       The Institute of Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey, Puerto Rico (baccalaureate level).

●       The master of science in environmental science program at the University of Texas at San Antonio (graduate level).

●       Postsecondary initiatives at Esperanza Inc. in Cleveland (community-based organization).

Latino Promise and HACER (Hispanics Achieving College Education Recognition), sister programs at Fairleigh Dickinson University, “were recognized for helping primarily first-generation college students complete associate degree programs in a timely manner and help them transfer into bachelor programs. The programs recruited students in immigrant-heavy school districts to address educational, economic and social barriers”, according to NBC News.

At the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, the Interdisciplinary Research Institute was praised for its focus on undergraduate research and guidance.  “Undergraduate research participants have graduated at higher rates (90%) than the institutional graduation rates (50%) from 2015 to 2018. Of the program's participants who applied to graduate school, 92% were accepted, more than double the rate for the overall student body that applied to graduate school in the same period”, according to the same publication.

The Master's degree in environmental sciences from the University of Texas at San Antonio was recognized for increasing graduation rates and completion of theses.  “The graduate program more than doubled the number of enrolled Latino students over the last three years. Since 2017, retention among Latino students has increased by 7%, and 45% of Latino participants completed the thesis track”.

Esperanza Inc. is a community organization specializing in Latin postsecondary education in greater Cleveland.  “After the organization's success in high school programming, it expanded into postsecondary support in 2016. Students participate in workshops, get internship support and apply for scholarships. The program's retention rate among Latino students is 90%, and it has maintained a stable rate through the pandemic, 31% higher than the national rate and 22% higher than the rate for students overall”.

The 2022 Examples of Excelencia marks the 17th annual recognition of programs that help boost Latino college completion. Since 2005, Excelencia has received more than 1,900 program submissions. Previous finalists are available online in Excelencia's searchable database.