By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The University of Illinois Chicago earned the highest level of Seal of Excelencia certification on Monday, while Harold Washington College received the seal for the first time, marking a dual milestone for Chicago institutions recognized nationally for advancing Latino student success.
The certifications from Excelencia in Education, a nonprofit research and policy organization, place both schools among just 55 colleges and universities in the country to earn the distinction. UIC was named an Intentionally Thriving Institution, the program’s top tier.
“At UIC, our commitment to serving Latino students and advancing student success for all ensures that our graduates have the skills to compete globally and lead meaningful lives,” UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda said in a news release. “We are expanding inclusive talent pipelines that strengthen Chicago’s workforce and driving innovation across our region.”
UIC first earned the Seal of Excelencia six years ago and has continued to build on its efforts. The university’s Student Success Initiative brings together more than two dozen programs to connect students with advising, financial resources, mentorship and career preparation, according to UIC.
UIC is one of 12 Intentionally Thriving Institutions and one of 21 schools nationwide to earn the seal in 2026. The university received its recognition during an Oct. 27 gathering in Washington, D.C. Earlier this year, UIC was designated by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education as an Opportunity College and University, recognizing broad access to higher education and increased income after graduation.
Seal-certified institutions represent less than 2 percent of colleges and universities nationally but enroll 16 percent of Latino students and confer 18 percent of degrees earned by Latino students, according to Excelencia in Education.
“Seal of Excelencia-certified institutions present strength of purpose and impact at a moment of great change in higher education,” Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia in Education, said in the UIC release. “Excelencia is proud to work with these leaders that show us how it looks when students succeed because of their institutions, not despite them.”
At Harold Washington College, the certification reflects the downtown campus’s work under its strategic plan, The Harold Promise, which targets a 55 percent completion or transfer rate by 2032. The college streamlines academic transfer pathways, offers rapid transcript evaluations, aligns its curriculum with four-year universities and provides mandatory first-semester advising, according to the City Colleges of Chicago release.
Harold Washington serves nearly 10,000 students. More than 75 percent of its student population identifies as Latine or Black. The college is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution.
“Harold Washington College is proud to earn the Seal of Excelencia,” President Daniel López said in the release. “This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff and faculty, who support our students throughout their academic journeys and beyond.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson praised the achievement. “By creating an environment where Latine students can pursue and complete their education, we are making our public colleges more accessible and more responsive to the students and communities they serve,” Johnson said in the Harold Washington release.
Richard J. Daley College, another City Colleges campus, earned Seal recertification the same day.
“Colleges and universities that earn the Seal of Excelencia are ensuring talent meets opportunity,” Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education, said in the Harold Washington release. “They have evolved beyond simply enrolling to intentionally serving Latino, and all, students.”
Both UIC and Harold Washington are members of the Excelencia in Action network, a coalition of more than 140 colleges and universities in 28 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico committed to improving outcomes for Latino students. The recognitions come as Chicago’s Latino population continues to grow, with implications for workforce development and economic mobility across the region.
