High impact student programs secure Seal of Excelencia for TXST

Feature Article | Julie Cooper | September 30, 2022

Student playing violin

Texas State University has earned the coveted Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education, an organization that has become a national transformative leader and innovator in higher education by informing, organizing, and compelling action focused on Latino students.

Dr. Kelly Damphousse, president of Texas State, was present in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 30 to receive the certification. By recognizing Texas State, Excelencia in Education has certified the university’s commitment and ability to accelerate the success of Latino students. Institutions earn certification by demonstrating specific inclusive strategies, implementing programs with evidence of effectiveness, and registering results that show they are intentionally serving Latino students. 

Bobcat Voices: Leaders Celebrate the Seal
 

“Earning the Seal of Excelencia signals to the world that Texas State University’s commitment to serving Latino students – and all students – places us among the nation’s most distinguished institutions. It is our responsibility to ensure that we are not only enrolling Latino students, but intentionally providing inclusive, evidence-based, wrap-around support that bolsters their academic outcomes, personal growth, and sense of belonging. It is a privilege for our institution to serve our state’s call to educate, inspire, and uplift countless generations of Texans."

Dr. Kelly Damphousse, TXST President

 

“The Seal of Excelencia verifies that Texas State is engaged in transformational academic interventions that are intentional and make a difference in the retention and graduation of all Latino students."

Dr. Jaime Chahin, Dean of the College of Applied Arts

 

“Texas State is proud to be an institution that is truly serving Hispanic/Latinx students and goes beyond just enrolling a large population of Latinx students. Receiving the Seal of Excelencia demonstrates our commitment to transforming the educational experiences and removing barriers impacting student success for the next generation of leaders for our state and country. With our current demographics mirroring the state of Texas, we are ensuring we are intentional in our efforts in helping our Bobcats graduate and they leave here better equipped to find a meaningful job opportunity to face the rapid change in society and build on their social capital to enter the workforce."

Dr. Victoria Black, Associate Dean of Student Services in University College (Co-coordinator of the Seal of Excelencia application) 

In a 43-page application, Texas State laid out the case for why it deserves the Seal. Questions were tied to markers such as: the pandemic response, enrollment numbers, strategies to serve Hispanic students, student recruitment, retention, first-year effectiveness, institutional support, transfer students and partnerships financial support strategies, faculty and staff representation, completion, institutional strategy, and faculty/staff recruitment.

Programs and services featured in the TXST Seal of Excelencia application included:

Financial Aid & Scholarships

The Bobcat Promise program guarantees free tuition and fees for 15 credit hours per semester to incoming first-year students whose family adjusted gross income does not exceed $50,000. A total of $98 million was awarded to 46,791 students from the federal CARES Act. In addition, the Bobcats-to-Bobcats program raised more than $700,000 for scholarships and emergency grants to students during the pandemic. 

Enrollment & Retention 

For the fall 2018 student cohort, Latino students’ first-year retention rate (students who return to their same institution for their second year) is 64% and their first-year persistence rate (students who return to any institution for their second year) is 72%.

We are proud to report that our  interventions were beneficial and fluctuations in enrollment due to the pandemic were minimal, especially for Latino students. Our Fall 2021 enrollment of Latino students increased by 301 (from 13,467 in 2020 to 13,768 in 2021). Previously, our Fall 2020 enrollment decreased by 15 Latino students and 375 students overall from Fall 2019, the application stated.

Strategic Recruitment

Intentional recruitment of Latinos is reflected in institutionalized efforts to recruit Latinos from strategic geographic areas and where Texas State recruiters live, work, and are active community members, including the greater Rio Grande Valley and Houston areas. Knowing that San Antonio hosts competitive postsecondary options, Texas State partnered strategically with San Antonio Independent School District to create a seamless process to attend TXST, including data sharing and awareness and promotion of the Bobcat Promise program.

Partners for Academic Success (PASS)

PASS is a model program in Texas State’s College of Applied Arts that provides targeted interventions to students on academic probation. The PASS program works with students to identify perceived barriers to their academic success, empower their academic confidence, and connect students to resources necessary for academic recovery.

Transfer Partnerships

Texas State actively partners with the two largest feeder districts, Austin Community College (ACC) and San Antonio College (SAC), to make the transfer process easier for students. The Pathway program is a unique co-enrollment partnership between TXST and ACC. Puentes: A Partnership to Improve Access to the Baccalaureate for South Texans through Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Teaching and Learning Innovation, is a Title V-funded grant that partners TXST and SAC.

Bring Bobcats Back

Texas State launched Bring Bobcats Back to reengage stop-outs, former students who earned a significant number of college credits but did not complete their degree.  In March 2021, TXST received a $1.5 million reskilling grant from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund to support displaced Texas workers who need to reskill or upskill to get back into the workforce.