(Santa Ana, Calif.) In Excelencia in Education's 20th year of service to accelerate Latino student success in higher education, the organization announced today that Santa Ana College's Pathway to Law School has been selected as a finalist for the 2024 Examples of Excelencia. Program finalists are recognized for intentionality in serving Latino students through culturally relevant, evidence-based practices. Pathway to Law School is among 18 Examples of Excelencia finalists with only six programs being selected at the associate level from around the country this year.
Pathway to Law School provides community college students with access to mentors, targeted curriculum and a financial incentive to prepare for law school. This program partners with programs such as Berkeley Law, University of California, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law and University of Southern California Gould School of Law, among others.
Examples of Excelencia is the only national, data-driven effort to identify, aggregate, and promote evidence-based practices increasing Latino student success in higher education. As a finalist for the 2024 Examples of Excelencia, Pathway to Law School is a model of what works for higher education leadership seeking asset-based programming that is sustainable, replicable, and data-informed.
“Participating in Examples of Excelencia allows practitioners to assess and share the impact of their program on Latino participants. Excelencia applauds this year's finalists for ensuring their programming intentionally serves Latino students in comprehensive and asset-based ways to support them to and through college," said Adriana Rodriguez, COO and vice president for institutional programs at Excelencia in Education.
Pathway to Law School and the other finalists were selected through a review of 103 program submissions representing colleges, universities, and community-based organizations across 20 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in four categories: associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations. Since 2005, Excelencia has received over 2,000 program submissions, recognized over 400 programs for their impact, and awarded over $2 million to programs making a positive difference for Latino students across the country.
“SAC was the first Orange County Community College to offer this California statewide program," said Program Director Kristen Robinson. “Our students have made strides as they represent Santa Ana in a career that quite frankly needs more diversity."
Programmatic details from all finalist programs will be featured online in Excelencia's Growing What Works Database — the only national, searchable database for institutional leaders, funders, policymakers, and others interested in evidence-based programming for Latino students.
To see the full list of the 2024 Examples of Excelencia finalists, visit: EdExcelencia.org/what-works-examples-excelencia/examples-excelencia-finalists
For more information about the Pathway to Law School program, please visit www.sac.edu/pathwaytolawschool. Questions about this press release can be directed to Young Kim from the Public Information Office at kim_young@sac.edu.
About Santa Ana College:
Santa Ana College (SAC), founded in 1915, serves more than 70,000 students yearly. At present, SAC students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers free classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. Santa Ana College is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students and named one of the best community colleges in California by Intelligent.com. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. Santa Ana College is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District
About Excelencia in Education:
Launched in 2004 in the nation's capital, Excelencia in Education leads a national network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to tap the talents of the Latino community and address the U.S. economy's needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. With this network, Excelencia accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, informing educational policies with a Latino lens, and advancing evidence-based practices. In 2024, Excelencia marks 20 years of commitment to Latino student success. For more information, visit: EdExcelencia.org
