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FIU has been recertified for the Seal of Excelencia, a national certification that recognizes colleges and universities demonstrating positive momentum for student outcomes and intentionality in serving Hispanic and Latino students. The seal was first awarded to FIU back in 2019.
The seal is given by Excelencia in Education, a research organization with a steadfast commitment to accelerating Latino student success. The national announcement of the 2022 Seal Certified institutions occurred in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30, where Interim Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Elizabeth Béjar accepted the award on behalf of the university.
“This month FIU turned 50 years young. That day in 1972, we made a pact with our community to deliver on the promise and the purpose of higher education and that has never been more clear to us than it is today,” Béjar said.
Six institutions earned the Seal of Excelencia in 2022 and nine institutions, including FIU, were recertified, creating a community of 30 trendsetting colleges and universities intentionally serving Hispanic and Latino students. The two-day convening also included a private dialogue with Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
Among seal-certified institutions, undergraduates have higher retention rates than students at all institutions, and Hispanic/Latinos have 49% higher graduation rates than Latinos nationally.
FIU reported record graduation rates this past summer for first-time-in-college students. First-time-in-college 4-year graduation rates increased from 49.3% to 59.4%; and first-time-in-college 6-year graduation rates have remained steady at 65%
“We are gathered here today to look at the conditions of education for all students with an eye toward Latino student success. The means to do that is the Seal of Excelencia,” said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education.
Due to the fact that 67% of students at FIU are Hispanic/Latino, FIU is among 20 of the nation’s top research universities within the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities, which increase opportunity for those historically underserved by higher education.
“FIU wants to be deeply embedded with partners in Washington, D.C., at the federal level, state level and certainly at our local level. We’re really excited about the opportunities that this brings the deeper engagement and recognition that FIU is receiving,” said Bejar. “Receiving the Seal of Excelencia provides… opportunity for agencies and program officers to get to know the strong work that is emblematic of the FIU Panther Nation,”
While in Washington, Béjar convened national educational leaders such as Assistant Secretary of Education for Policy Roberto Rodriguez and Frances Colon, member of the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, for an intimate dialogue at FIU in D.C. on the current challenges in higher education.
“I was proud to be a part of the discussion that explored the challenges many students face in pursuit of their post-secondary education. This round-table not only adequately recognized the challenges students, like myself face, but also addressed the solutions for challenges like affordability and pipeline pathways to solid careers for students,” said Imani Davis, a graduate student in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs who is interning this semester at the Blockchain Association and was at the roundtable. Davis also participated in the Congressional Black Caucus’ annual leadership conference.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e15v41eDylg]
