Hartnell is proud to announce that we have earned the Seal of Excelencia, a prestigious recognition from Excelencia in Education that honors institutions transforming higher education for Latinx students.
Our commitment to student success goes beyond mere enrollment numbers. We’ve taken a strategic approach to ensure our 83 percent Latino student population has the support and opportunities needed to thrive — from bilingual services and the Mi Casa program for undocumented students, to internships in STEM fields and dual enrollment for high schoolers.
This achievement demonstrates Hartnell’s deep intentionality in improving outcomes for all students, with a focus on retention, degree completion, and comprehensive support services. Our work not only uplifts the Latinx community but benefits every student who walks through our doors.
The announcement was celebrated at the National Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., where leaders from higher education, business, and government gathered to recognize institutions committed to elevating Latinx degree attainment and strengthening civic leadership.
The Seal of Excelencia is a national certification awarded to colleges and universities that demonstrate a strong commitment to the success of Latinx students. This certification, established in 2018, assesses institutions on their intentionality and impact in improving retention, financial support, and degree completion for Latinx and all students. It requires aligning efforts across data, practice, and leadership to create a supportive learning environment for students.
This year’s cohort of newly certified and recertified institutions belongs to a collective of 46 colleges and universities that have earned the Seal. Together, they represent less than 1% of all higher education institutions but enroll 17% and graduate 19% of all Latinx students nationwide.
The eight newly certified Seal of Excelencia institutions are:
- California State University, East Bay (CA)
- California State University, San Bernardino (CA)
- California State University San Marcos (CA)
- Cerritos College (CA)
- Hartnell College (CA)
- Pima Community College (AZ)
- San Francisco State University (CA)
- Sul Ross State University (TX)
The nine recertified Seal of Excelencia institutions are:
- California State University, Fresno (CA)
- California State University, Fullerton (CA)
- Miami Dade College (FL)
- San Diego State University (CA)
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- University of California, Merced (CA)
- University of California, Riverside (CA)
- University of Central Florida (FL)
- Wilbur Wright College (IL)
Before Hartnell College earned the Seal of Excelencia, Michael Gutierrez, Superintendent/President of Hartnell College made the decision to join Excelencia’s national network of Presidents for Latinx Student Success (P4LSS). The network comprises over 200 higher education leaders committed to making their institutions learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. Institutions in the P4LSS network are eligible to apply for the Seal.
To earn the Seal of Excelencia, institutions must demonstrate:
- An intentional, institutional focus on advancing Latinx student success by aligning data and practice;
- Deliberate and ongoing assessment to identify and implement strategies that improve Latinx student achievement;
- Leadership commitment to continue transforming into an environment where Latinx students thrive; and,
- A long-term and unwavering commitment to intentionally serve Latinx, and all students.
To earn the Seal of Excelencia, Hartnell College engaged in a comprehensive application and interview process, and required the collective efforts of various departments and student programs across the institution. Through this process, we showcased our commitment to implementing high-impact practices that are both culturally responsive and scalable.
Services and programs highlighted include:
- Bilingual services in both English and Spanish
- Mi Casa program, for undocumented students
- High School Equivalency Program (HEP)
- Cohort-mentorship programs
- Math Academy
- Connecting students with internships and careers in STEM)
- Creation of the Basic Needs Office
- Dual Enrollment opportunities for high school students
- Rising Scholars program for incarcerated students
- Strategic placement of education centers in Castroville, East Salinas, King City and Soledad aimed to provide access to education in areas with low educational attainment and in low-income, predominantly Spanish-speaking communities.
The impact of Hartnell College’s efforts is evident in the course success rates for Latinx students: 72.8% in 2018-2019, 69.6% during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, and 74.1% in 2022-2023.
Learn More
Learn more about the institutions that earned the Seal of Excelencia certification and recertification this year: Seal of Excelencia Certified Institutions.