In October 2026, EVC earned the Seal of Excelencia. The seal recognizes institutuions
that meet rigourous standards across six key areas:
Enrollment of Latinx students
Retention of Latinx students
Transfer in of Latinx students
Financial support for Latinx students
Latinx representation in faculty, administration and staff.
Degree completition of Latinx students.
"Earning the Seal of Excelencia is a tremendous honor for Evergreen Valley College. It shows that EVC uses data,
measures results, and intentionally improves student outcomes. To be one of only nine
community colleges in the nation—and the fourth in California—to earn this distinction
demonstrates the impact EVC is making for Latinx and first-generation students, and
the community of San José.
"In addition, our students regularly transfer to fellow seal-certified universities
— San Jose State, UC Santa Cruz, Cal State East Bay and San Francisco State. This
demonstrates a Bay Area commitment to excellence for our students.
"EVC's Excelencia team worked diligently over the past three years to achieve this recognition, but
the Seal represents something even greater: our commitment to ensuring that students
receive an exceptional education, the support they need, and a strong foundation to
exceed in the future.”
Dr. Vinicio J. López, President, Evergreen Valley College
What is the Seal of Excelencia?
Excelencia in Education created the Seal of Excelencia in 2018 as a rigorous, national certification that holds colleges and universities
accountable for data-informed, continuous improvement in student outcomes before and
beyond graduation — reinforcing higher education’s role as an engine of social mobility,
economic vitality, and workforce development.
The Seal recognizes excellence at institutions with Latino students, knowing that
an intentional, mission-driven investment that includes serving this population ensures
all of our students, communities, and country are served.
As of October 2026, there will be 55 Seal-certified institutions, of which Evergreen
Valley College is one of them.
EVC's student population reflects the region's diversity. Institutional data show
44 percent of students identify as Latinx; many are first-generation college students, working adults, and
multilingual learners. Yet U.S. Census 2024 (American Community Survey, ACS) data
reveal that only 21.2 percent of Latinx Santa Clara County residents hold a bachelor's
degree or higher, compared to 70.3 percent of Asians and 43 percent of Whites.
Leadership
In 2025-26, EVC's complete leadership team was Latino: ASG President Silvano Navarro,
Student Trustee Ariana Estrada, President Vinicio Lopez, Classified Senate President
Josie Aguirre and Academic Senate President Henry Estrada. The District's Chancellor
is Beatriz Chaidez.
One Student's Journey
EVC's commitment to closing those gaps is powerfully illustrated through alumna Mara
Leandro Urban's story. Mara enrolled at EVC, participated in the Enlace program, and
graduated with degrees in Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics. She went onto earn
a degree in Mechanical Engineering from San Jose State. She returned to EVC as a proud
graduate in May 2026 to talk to our Enlace graduates.
Student Success Story
"Excellence is not perfection. Perfection is an unchanging state. Once something is
‘perfect,’ there’s nothing more you can do because if you change it then it’s not
perfect anymore. Excellence, however, is a changing evolving process."
Mara Leandro UrbanEngineering & Enlace Graduate
programs making a difference
Enlace
At the center of this ecosystem is EVC’s longstanding Enlace Program, a culturally
responsive academic and student support model that has served Latinx students since
1983. Of the 267 Enlace participants from 2022-25, 90 percent earned a degree. EVC
also entertains a Enlace Honors Society
EVC’s First Year Experience (FYE) initiative began as a Latinx-focused pilot before
being scaled institution-wide to strengthen onboarding, connection, and persistence.
Additionally, the thoughtful inclusion of EVC’s Translation and Interpreting program
and its Spanish and Vietnamese students to conduct live translations during the Career
Academic Pathways (CAPS) Day, futher closes the equity gap.
Here are other ways the college is making a difference.
Annual CAPs Day in April registers students for the Fall. Due to the importance of
family support, EVC invites students and their parents to CAPs Day, where families
can hear presentations with live translations in Spanish.
EVC’s Early Admissions Program (EAP) emphasizes affordability and early momentum by
connecting students to Promise grants, financial aid support, educational planning,
and tuition-free dual enrollment opportunities that allow students to earn college
credit while still in high school.
Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley's Bridge to STEM program gives students a $1000
scholarship and wrap around support, as they look towards careers in the sciences.
Biology Scholars program has show 70 percent of its scholars transfer within two years,
including to UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz and Stanford.
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
These services further enhance the student experience:
Student-centered financial aid support systems
Affordability initiatives, including Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) textbooks
EVC alum Luis Salazar and his brothers opened up Paleta Planeta during COVID to serve
ice cream to downtown San Jose. Luis and his brothers all went to EVC and Luis especially,
credits the college and its Enlace program with laying the foundation to opening a
small business in downtown. Today, Paleta Planeta is a favorite of the Mayor and City
Council, served at the Shark Tank and a regular visitor to EVC, serving one of over
191 flavors to the place where it all started.
Small Business in San Jose
Paleta Planeta Got its Start with EVC
"If I could give advice to someone. Don't give up. Pick a major. Stick with it. Be
persistent and consistent. Because it does get easier."
Luis SalazarSmall Business Owner & Enlace Graduate
Community Partners
Here are some of the major partners, EVC is involved with.
Second Harvest Foodbank
Second Harvest provides bi-monthly Farmer's Markets and food distributions throughout
the academic year.
Sobrato Foundation
Foundation behind our FYE program, giving EVC the ability to expand its services.
Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley
Foundating behind the Bridge to STEM program, providing opportunities for students
to pursue science careers.
SOMOS Mayfair
SOMOS Mayfair builds community power in East San José through leadership development
and by organizing around resident-led solutions.
Excelencia by the Numbers
55
Total number of schools with the Seal of Excelencia
9
Total number of two-year schools with the Seal. (including 4 in California)
5
Bay Area Excelencia schools (UCSC, San Jose State, CS East Bay, San Francisco State,
EVC)
EVC BY THE NUMBERS
In 2025-26, EVC had 900 full-time Hispanic students, and an additional 2,800 part-time
Latinx students.
301 Latinx students earned a degree or certificate in 2025-26.
Latinx students make up 25 percent of the student population, following Asian (40%)
and White (27%).
41 percent of Latinx students receive a federal Pell Grant, 44 percent recieve a Promise
Grant, 49 percent are on a Cal Grant and 39 percent on institutional aid
Between 2022 to 2025, 86 percent of EVC's TRiO Talent Search were Latinx.
One in five faculty identify as Hispanic, as do 40 percent of staff and administrators.
Apprixmately 4800 students a year utilize Zero Cost Textbooks
Between 2023-25, Feeding America valued Second Harvest's food donations to equal over
$1 million in distributions.
90 percent of Enlace students earned a degree from 2022-25.
$9.2 million in Emergency Aid was given to to students over five years (2022-25).
70 percent of Biology Scholars transferred within two years.
225 full-time Latinx students transferred in 2025-26 , an increase of 14 percent since
2021-22.
A total of 625 Latinx students transferred in 2025-26 (33 percent of all transfers).
80 percent of EVC transfers tranfer to fellow Excelencia member, San Jose State.
Latinx students make up 60 to 75 percent of students at San Jose Unified and East
Side Union High School districts.
Excelencia team at EVC
Robert Gutierrez (dean of Language Arts and lead)
Vinicio Lopez (president)
Sam Morgan (vice president of student services)
Antoinette Herrea (dean of STEM)
Carmen Solorzano (faculty in Spanish)
Grace Estrada (faculty in Psychology)
Henry Estrada (faculty in Math and Computer Science)
