Montclair Earns Seal of Excelencia Designation

Montclair State University has been named one of only 55 institutions in the nation, and one of only 21 this year, to earn the Seal of Excelencia for demonstrating continuous improvement in Latino, and all, student outcomes.

Given by Excelencia in Education, the Seal showcases Montclair’s commitments to delivering value to our students, communities, and the country — reinforcing higher education’s role as an engine of social mobility, economic vitality, and workforce development.

Seal-certified institutions represent less than 2% of colleges and universities, yet enroll 16% and graduate 18% of Latino students — and enroll and graduate 8% of all students.

Leaders in higher education, business, government, and philanthropy convened in Washington, D.C. on October 27 to recognize Montclair as one of 10 institutions earning Seal of Excelencia certification for the first time.

“Being a truly Hispanic-Serving HSI requires going well beyond enrollment. It means understanding our students' unique perspectives, recognizing their talents and making sure they have the support and opportunities to achieve their goals,” says Montclair President Jonathan Koppell. “Earning the Seal of Excelencia signals that Montclair embraces that responsibility and affirms our commitment to keep improving. We are a majority-minority institution with a predominantly Pell-eligible student population that we serve by expanding opportunities and empowering graduates to improve communities and design our country’s future.”

Commitment to Student Outcomes

Katia Paz Goldfarb, Associate Provost for Hispanic Initiatives and International Programs at Montclair, highlights the institution’s commitment to fostering successful outcomes for its students. While the focus includes Latino student success, these efforts create inclusive systems that improve outcomes across the student population.

“Montclair has aligned leadership, resources, assessment, and institutional priority around a shared commitment to access, equity, belonging, and student success,” says Paz Goldfarb.

“Our efforts to increase Latino student success are grounded in a comprehensive servingness-oriented strategy that intentionally supports Latino and all students. The seal of Excelencia is the ultimate external validation that we are doing good work. It is the documentation of our journey of intentionally serving Latino students without compromising academic excellence and respecting the strengths that our Latino students bring. 

“The seal of Excelencia framework provides a roadmap to recognize practices that intentionally close equity gaps and spaces where there is still work to do. We are committed to this work y lo hacemos con corazón y con pasión!