A Milestone in Student Success
Stanislaus State earned the 2026 Seal of Excelencia, a national certification from Excelencia in Education for institutions that demonstrate through data, evidence-based practices and leadership to intentionally serve Latinx students while strengthening success for all students.
Stanislaus State earned the Seal on its first application. The certification is valid through 2029.
Why the Seal Matters at Stan State
Stanislaus State is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. With approximately 62 percent of undergraduate students identifying as Hispanic or Latinx, serving our students means more than enrolling them. It means creating the conditions for them to persist, graduate, grow as leaders and build opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities.
At Stan State, earning the Seal is a milestone in our ongoing commitment to servingness. Servingness means examining how the University’s culture, practices, policies and priorities shape students’ experiences and outcomes.
The Seal process helped Stan State:
- Examine student success data across enrollment, retention, persistence, graduation and student engagement
- Document evidence-based practices that support Latinx and all students
- Identify opportunities to strengthen coordination across the University
- Align institutional leadership, programs and priorities around student success
- Build a foundation for continued accountability and improvement
Seal of Excelencia Timeline
- Spring 2025
Stanislaus State began its engagement with Excelencia in Education and held early leadership discussions focused on strengthening Latinx student success. - Summer 2025
The University formed the Seal Serving Institutional Transformation Assessment Group (SSITA), joined Excelencia in Education, and began gathering institutional data and reviewing practices that affect Latinx student success. - August 2025
Stanislaus State submitted its Seal Serving Institutional Transformation Assessment (SSITA), which helped identify institutional strengths and opportunities for improvement. - Spring 2026
The University formed the Excelencia Campus Task Force and began reviewing SSITA findings, gathering evidence, documenting institutional practices and preparing the Seal application. Faculty, staff, administrators and student support units contributed to this process. - May 2026
Stanislaus State submitted its application for the Seal of Excelencia. - Summer 2026
Stanislaus State became a finalist and participated in an interview with the Excelencia in Education team. - Fall 2026
Stanislaus State earned the 2026 Seal of Excelencia on its first application. The certification is valid through 2029.
What the Work Looks Like at Stan State
Earning the Seal reflects work taking place across the University, including:
- Reviewing student success data to better understand student experiences and outcomes
- Strengthening bilingual outreach and enrollment practices
- Providing proactive advising, early intervention and ongoing academic support
- Building on programs and approaches that help students persist and graduate
- Supporting faculty and staff collaboration through Seal of Excelencia Readiness Grants
- Connecting student success work to institutional planning and leadership
- Creating a welcoming University environment where students can see themselves, find support, and prepare for what comes next
How the Seal Strengthens Stan State
The Seal process strengthens Stan State’s ability to:
- Advance equity and student success
- Align programs and practices across campus
- Improve retention, completion and post-graduation outcomes
- Fulfill the mission of the University as a Hispanic-Serving Institution
- Serve the Central Valley and its growing population of Hispanic and Latinx families
- Embed servingness into institutional culture, policy and practice
Continuing the Work Beyond Certification
Earning the Seal is an important milestone, but it is not the end of the work.
During the 2026–2029 certification period and beyond, Stanislaus State will continue to:
- Monitor student success data
- Share institutional findings with campus leaders and departments
- Expand campus conversations about servingness and Latinx student success
- Strengthen and document evidence-based programs and practices
- Support faculty and staff engagement in student success initiatives
- Integrate Excelencia principles into strategic planning and institutional priorities
- Continue developing programs, services and partnerships that support Latinx students and all students
Our goal is to ensure that serving Latinx students is embedded throughout the University’s culture, policies and practices.
Updated: October 27, 2026