DENVER — In recognition of Metropolitan State University of Denver's excellence in serving Hispanic students, Excelencia en Educación, a national nonprofit organization that promotes higher education for Hispanic students, has certified MSU Denver with its Seal of Excelencia. The university is the first higher-education institution in Colorado to earn the Seal of Excelencia.
"Being the first institution to receive this certification in the state of Colorado really speaks to the level of work that we’ve been doing here at MSU Denver," Manuel Del Real, the university's Executive Director for HSI and Inclusion, said. "Wanting to be intentional with serving our students, especially our Latinx students, but also really contributing to our minority-serving institution status."
After 12 years of work, MSU Denver was designated a Hispanic Service Institution (HSI) in 2019. Being an HSI means at least 25% of their undergraduate students are Hispanic or Latino.
According to MSU Denver, in 2007, the university launched an ambitious effort to obtain federal recognition for educating Latino students, who at that time made up about 13% of the university’s undergraduate population. Today, more than 35% of its students are Latino.
"This is really a testament to the work that we’re doing here, but there’s still a lot of work that we can continue to do right," Del Real said. "It's building the students here that are part of the comunidad, right? Really contributing to the state’s economy, and so that’s my biggest impact and sort of quoting the President, we’re holding down the line to the American dream."
Excelencia in Education announced the 14 recipients that earned the national distinction this year for their efforts to enroll and retain Latino students in higher education at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. that was livestreamed and, according to NBC News, included remarks by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
“There is a real difference between colleges and universities that enroll Latino students and those that intentionally serve them,” said Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia in Education, in a news release. “Those that earn the Seal are trendsetters on a journey of transformation, showing what it takes to progressively increase positive outcomes for Latino, and all, students to compel others ready to meet the mission.”
According to NBC News, the organization awarded its 2023 Seal of Excelencia to institutions of higher education that “demonstrate intentionality and impact in serving Latino students while serving all.” The designation is for three years.
Nine institutions were certified for the first time and the other five were recertified.
The first time recipients are:
- Angelo State University in Texas
- California State University, Long Beach
- California State University, Los Angeles
- California State University, Northridge
- Metropolitan State University of Denver
- Phoenix College
- Richard J. Daley College in Illinois
- St. Edward’s University in Texas
- Texas Woman’s University
The five that were recertified are:
- California State University, Sacramento
- Long Beach City College in California
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas at San Antonio
- University of Illinois at Chicago
According to NBC News, Excelencia in Education established the Seal of Excelencia framework in 2018 to serve as a self-assessment for institutions aiming to better serve Latino students. It tracks enrollment, retention and graduation rates of Hispanic students, as well as representation of Latino faculty.
Julianna Montoya is a senior at MSU Denver. She's also a first-generation Latina college student. She said hearing MSU Denver's recognition made her proud to be a student there.
"It's so rewarding to look around in the classroom and feel represented. It’s something, an experience, I didn’t have growing up. My educational background was of course in Colorado and I had peers that looked like me, but here it’s people who immediately off the bat I can relate to," she said. "It's such an honor to be part of that demographic and to be seen here and represented, and I think it’s a huge thing for our community. Being able to say that we specifically are welcome here, we’re wanted here and they’re doing work on the ground level to make sure we’re supported."
The recognition by Excelencia comes after a recent Lumina Foundation-Gallup poll found that Latino students struggle to remain in college more than those of other races and ethnicities. According to NBC News, half of all Latino college students reported that it was difficult to remain in their program in 2022, compared with 40% of Black and Asian students and 37% of white students.
The newly selected higher-education institutions join a total of 39 certified institutions which, according to NBC News, represent around 5% of all institutions in the U.S. that collectively enrolled more than 15% and graduated 17% of all Latino graduates nationwide in the most recent year.
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