Media Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler, carmen.chandler@csun.edu, (818) 677-2130
California State University, Northridge has earned Seal of Excelencia recertification from Excelencia in Education for its commitment to serving Latinx students and ensuring their success by utilizing a framework of data, practice and leadership, CSUN officials announced today.
The seal framework reinforces four essential components of higher education’s value: ensuring all students succeed; supporting continuous improvement institution-wide; enhancing economic/social mobility; and demonstrating effective use of public funds. CSUN is one of 21 colleges and universities across the country to earn the seal in 2026, demonstrating the university’s commitment to continuous improvement in Latinx student outcomes.
“Seal recertification affirms for our students and their families that they belong at CSUN, and that we hold ourselves accountable for their success,” said CSUN President Erika D. Beck, PhD. “I am deeply grateful to the faculty and staff who make that promise real every day.”
Since first earning the Seal of Excelencia in 2023, CSUN has developed tools to understand students more clearly and respond to their needs with greater precision.
“Our evidence-based practices dashboard and our scholarship data dashboard, which we developed with DataPhilanthropy, let us break down outcomes by student group across all areas of seal focus,” Beck said. “That means Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and University Relations and Advancement now plan from the same picture.”
Full-time, first-year retention for Latinx students has increased by 3.2 percentage points over the past three years, and CSUN aims to add another 4 points by 2029. Latinx freshmen who receive scholarships are retained at rates 14 to 16 percentage points higher than those who don’t, and Latinx students who use basic needs services housed within the university’s Valera NEST are retained at rates 4 percentage points higher than their peers who don’t.
“Seal of Excelencia certified institutions present strength of purpose and impact at a moment of great change in higher education,” said Deborah Santiago, Excelencia in Education co-founder and CEO. “Excelencia is proud to work with these leaders that show us how it looks when students succeed because of their institutions — not despite them. Together, we are cultivating talent that will ensure America’s future.”
Only 55 institutions nationwide have earned the Seal of Excelencia since the honor was launched in 2019 by Excelencia in Education to recognize colleges and universities that go beyond simply enrolling Latinx students to intentionally and measurably serving them. Seal-certified institutions represent less than 2 percent of the nation’s colleges and universities, yet enroll 16 percent and graduate 18 percent of the country’s Latinx students, and enroll and graduate 8 percent of all students.
“Colleges and universities that earn the Seal of Excelencia are ensuring talent meets opportunity,” said Sarita Brown, Excelencia in Education co-founder and President. “They have evolved beyond simply enrolling to intentionally serving Latinx, and all, students. That starts with knowing who they serve and creating clear pathways for students to earn a degree. Collectively, seal-certified institutions model the change possible for higher education to expand access to excellence for students to achieve their goals.”
Leaders in higher education, business, government and philanthropy convened in Washington, D.C. this week to recognize CSUN as one of seven institutions earning Seal of Excelencia recertification.
