Colleges and universities (totaling 14) in the United States have been honored with the 2023Seal of Excellence by the nonprofit organization Excelencia in Education. This distinction recognizes the efforts of these institutions with regard to the enrollment and retention of Latino students in higher education, as reported by NBC News. Excelencia in Education has a mission to assist Latinos in completing higher education, and the badge is awarded to institutions that demonstrate a deliberate commitment and meaningful impact in providing services to Latino students while serving all groups.

Nine of the institutions received the seal for the first time, while five others were recertified. First-time beneficiaries include Angelo State University, California State University at Long Beach, California State University at Los Angeles, California State University at Northridge, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Phoenix College, Richard J. Daley College in Illinois, St. Edward's University in Texas, and Texas Woman's University. The five recertified institutions include California State University in Sacramento, Long Beach City College in California, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

According to the publication, the CEO of Excelencia in Education, Deborah Santiago, emphasized the importance of higher education institutions focusing on helping students achieve their goals, regardless of their ethnic or racial backgrounds. This is particularly relevant considering the Lumina Foundation-Gallup survey, which revealed that Latino students face additional challenges staying in college compared to other ethnic groups. These challenges include a higher rate of difficulty staying in college for Latino students compared to black, Asian, and white students.

However, the survey also showed that many non-enrolled Latinos are considering entering higher education. This highlights the importance of removing the barriers that hinder Latino students’ permanence and success in higher education institutions.

The text also highlights some of the specific efforts of some of the award-winning institutions, such as promoting access to college for Latino, rural, and other students, as well as support programs for first-generation and low-income students. Additionally, Phoenix College was recognized for its commitment to engaging families to ensure that multiple generations have access to higher education and for promoting Latino representation in STEM research.

In summary, the text highlights the importance of recognizing higher education institutions that demonstrate an effective commitment to inclusion and support for Latino students, highlighting the need to remove barriers that hinder the permanence and success of these students in higher education. These efforts are essential to increasing Latino representation and graduation in higher education institutions in the United States.