Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ’s Experiential Center for Education and Leadership (ExCEL) program has been named a Program to Watch by Excelencia in Education, an organization in higher education committed to accelerating Latino student success. UCNJ’s ExCEL program is funded by Title V of the Higher Education Act that provides grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) to expand educational opportunities in higher education for Hispanic students.
Excelencia has identified UCNJ’s ExCEL program as a new, innovative initiative that is making a positive impact on the success of Latino students. ExCEL is recognized as a Program to Watch for the 2024 Examples of Excelencia. With this distinction, Excelencia acknowledges ExCEL’s potential to grow in practice and in evidence of effectiveness.
ExCEL is a program that supports first-generation Hispanic students pursuing their degrees in business, education, and graphic design at UCNJ. ExCEL students receive personal academic and career advising, internship opportunities, and experience UCNJ’s many on-campus destinations, including the Bloomberg Business Lab, a mock K-12 education classroom, and the Innovation Center.
“We are proud that ExCEL has been recognized as a Program to Watch by Excelencia, known for their leadership and support of Hispanic students in higher education. As a federally-designated HSI, the College is committed to strengthening Latino student success outcomes by providing intentional academic support, mentorship, and opportunities tailored to their needs. Students in the ExCEL program receive the tools they need to thrive in their academic careers and beyond,” stated UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.
With the success of ExCEL, Title V has expanded the program to support students in data analytics, cybersecurity, and cyber forensics programs through increased career services, retention, academic programs, and professional development. The second Title V grant the College received is called Preparing UCNJ Students for Career Success.
UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 10 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.
