Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor Joins Excelencia in Education’s Presidents for Latino Student Success Network

Rutgers University–Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor will collaborate with Excelencia in Education, the nation’s premier authority on efforts accelerating Latino student success in higher education, joining a network of college presidents and chancellors nationwide who are committed to making their campus a place where Latino students--and all students--thrive.

Cantor joins Presidents for Latino Student Success, formed in 2014 to support institutional leaders who are transforming higher education to cultivate the contributions, skills and talents of Latino college graduates. They also recognize that programs and initiatives that work for Latinos can serve other students as well, and thus the nation at large.

Cantor joins more than 150 presidents and chancellors who lead the nation in enrolling and graduating Latino students. Although Presidents for Latino Student Success represents only percent of the thousands of colleges and universities across the country, it enrolls 32 percent, and graduates 34 percent, of all Latino students in higher education.

“Rutgers-Newark has been a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2016 and for us it’s never been about the numbers, but about the impact on our students and our community,’’ said Cantor.“Yes, our Latinx enrollment has grown 53 percent over the past 10 years and yes, our Latinx enrollment today is nearly 35 percent—which we know is high for a national research university—but as an anchor institution, we focus not on those numbers but on what those numbers translate into."

She added, "We work hard at every level of our institution to stay accessible and affordable so we can help our students live into their fulsome identities by leveraging their cultural competencies to strengthen their own intercultural awareness and position them to make an impact in our communities."

Through the Presidents for Latino Success network, Cantor will collaborate with Excelencia and other postsecondary leaders to leverage collective expertise and resources, foster partnerships, and amplify current efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education at the national level.

“Institutional leadership focused on intentionally serving Latino, and all, students is the hallmark of the presidents and chancellors in this network," said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education. “We are proud to catalyze and support them as they advance student success and grow talent for our country’s bright future."

Excelencia is honored to make common cause with the action-oriented, trendsetting presidents and chancellors who have answered its national call to accelerate Latino student success in higher education and ensure America’s future. 

To learn more about the Presidents for Latino Student Success network and other institutional leaders across the country affiliated with Excelencia.