UTRGV President Guy Bailey will be one of the newest leaders in the Excelencia in Education Presidents for Latino Student Success network in which they committed to making their institutions a thriving environment for Latino students.
Leaders “are part of the Excelencia in Action network and collaborate with Excelencia in Education to leverage collective expertise and resources, foster partnerships, and amplify current efforts at the national level,” according to the Excelencia in Education website.
Bailey told The Rider in a phone interview March 22 that he was pleased to find out he will be a new leader of the network.
“This organization is really important to Latino student success around the country,” he said. “Excelencia [in Education] is an organization that has that as its primary focus. And, so, you know, there are a lot of organizations that focus on one thing, but this one focuses on what our core mission as an institution [is]. And, so, it’s very exciting to be part of that.”
Bailey said the presidents and chancellors in the network will be able to work together on projects, share ideas and best practices to help the Latino community in their institutions.
The president said his role will benefit the student body “because what I’ll be able to do is to tap into the wisdom of other presidents and learn their best practices.”
“I want to know what they’re doing that really helps their students be successful and we want to do similar things here,” Bailey said. “And the same thing, what we’re doing will help them. So, I think that’s really the primary purpose and how it will benefit me and the institution.”
He said Excelencia in Education is a great organization that has had a powerful impact on Latino and Latina student success, so it is rewarding to be a part of.
Jennifer Gomez-Chavez, vice president for institutional engagement at Excelencia in Education, said leaders join the network by their readiness to take action toward “intensely” serving Latino and Latina students.
Gomez-Chavez said keeping track of the leaders’ readiness begins with the Excelencia in Education president meeting with the leaders about their vision on Latino student success.
“During that conversation, it’s an assessment of whether [presidents’ and chancellors’ vision and goals align] to Excelencia’s,” she told The Rider during an interview March 22 via Zoom. “So, then after the discussion, they enroll in the network if the president or chancellor is ready. And, so, we keep track of the presidents’ and chancellors’ involvement.”
Gomez-Chavez said the leaders choose their team.
“They get to name a lead affiliate, which is like the captain of their team at their institution, as well as three other individuals which make up a team of four,” she said. “And this team helps the president and chancellor move the work forward, facilitate the work, keep the institution involved, work closely with our team, engage their institution in all of the different opportunities we have as they transform their institution to intentionally serve Latino students.”
Gomez-Chavez said it is an annual commitment with renewal each year.
She said the leaders would be required to engage with the work that Excelencia offers and learn and commit to what it means to serve the Latino community and students.
“Leaders who come into the network have to really be aware and ready to do anything and everything it takes to transform their institutions, which is getting involved with our technical assistance institutes, [and] are learning what intentionally serving Latino students means,” Gomez-Chavez said. “So it’s not just, ‘Check the box, we’re involved.’ It’s, ‘We’re involved to do the work because we’re really committed and dedicated.’”
She said the organization wants to create environments for Latino students to thrive and have a sense of belonging, and Excelencia is proud of the president’s commitment.
For more information on the organization, visit Excelencia in Education.
