–For FIU News

FIU is the top institution in the U.S. in enrolling and graduating Hispanic students with bachelor’s degrees, according to an analysis released by Excelencia in Education.  The report, “Latino College Completion: United States,” highlighted the top enrolling and graduating institutions nationally and by state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The report found while degree completion has increased, there is still significant work to do to close the achievement gap between Hispanics and their white, non-Hispanic peers. At four-year institutions in the U.S., Hispanic graduation rates within six years were 12 percentage points lower than that of white, non-Hispanics.

Excelencia in Education previously awarded FIU the Seal of Excelencia in 2019 for its commitment to student excellence and efforts to increase equity and student success. FIU has developed and implemented programs to support the success of all of its students, including more than 22% that identify as first-generation and 50% that receive Pell grants. The programs, which are also helping increase degree completion for Hispanic students, include Federal TRIO programs, success coaches, professional advisors, a Math Mastery Lab, and the largest learning assistant program in the nation.

The university awarded 6,764 bachelor’s degrees to Hispanic students during the 2017-18 academic year – 66 percent of all bachelor’s degrees that year. FIU also ranked as the second top institution enrolling Hispanic undergraduates in 2017-2018 – 67 percent of its undergraduates were Hispanic.

“As a top Hispanic-serving institution, we continuously work to increase the graduation rates of our students through intentional programming, thoughtful initiatives, and a dedication to student success,” said Elizabeth Bejar, senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. “The report by Excelencia in Education demonstrates why our commitment to our students and community is so important. Supporting our students in their journey toward a university degree has an impact on our graduates’ lives, the lives of their families and beyond.”