Elevating What Works for Latino, And All, Students - Webinar

Announced on: Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026

Join Excelencia in Education for the first webinar of 2026, Elevating What Works for Latino, And All, Students: A Conversation with Practitioners Leading Successful Programs on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 11:00 AM PT.

Gain practical insights and approaches that you can apply within your own institutional or community context from evidence-based programs.

During this webinar, representatives from the 2025 Examples of Excelencia will share how their programs provide holistic support that helps students earn degrees and credentials, connect classroom learning to in-demand jobs, and offer research and mentorship experiences that foster persistence, completion, and career success.

For more than two decades, Excelencia in Education has brought attention to programs that demonstrate what works to improve Latino, and all, student success in higher education. These examples show what is possible when institutions, practitioners, and leaders intentionally align their efforts to expand access to a quality college education for all students.

We hope you will join the conversation! REGISTER HERE

PANEL MODERATOR

• Adriana Rodriguez, Excelencia in Education, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Institutional Programs

PANEL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

• Associate Level- Joe Mulleary, Automotive Technology Department Chair and Program Director for the General Motors Automotive Service Education Program (GM ASEP), Cerritos College - Norwalk, CA.
• Baccalaureate Level – Melawhy Garcia is the Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training and the Advancing Nutrition Development through Alliance for Education and Leadership (ÁNDALE) Latino Research Training Program, California State University, Long Beach - Long Beach, CA.
• Graduate Level - Olga Herrera is the Managing Director of Crossing Latinidades Humanities Research Initiative, University of Illinois Chicago - Chicago, IL.
• Community-Based Organization Level - Felida Villarreal is the President and CEO of Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) and Avanza RGV - Mercedes, TX.

Examples of Excelencia is the only national, data-driven effort to identify, recognize, and promote programs with evidence of effectiveness in increasing Latino student success amongst all served and, by doing so, facilitating access to excellence for all students. Since 2005, Excelencia has reviewed over 2,500 program submissions, recognized over 400 programs for their proven impact, and raised and awarded more than $2.2 million to programs making a positive difference for students across the nation.

Upcoming Key Dates for the 2026 Examples of Excelencia cycle

• Call for Submissions – From February 9 to April 20, 2026
• 2026 Submission Webinar – February 11, 2026