Awards and Achievements

SFSU earns prestigious Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to Latinx students

Kent Bravo — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:37:38 +0000

SFSU earns prestigious Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to Latinx students

Author: Strategic Marketing and Communications

October 1, 2024

The seal recognizes SFSU for its leadership in meeting needs of Latinx students, advancing their talents

SAN FRANCISCO (October 1, 2024) – San Francisco State University has earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia granted by Excelencia in Education, the nation’s premier authority on efforts to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education. The Seal is a national certification for institutions that strive to more intentionally serve Latinx students.

San Francisco State is one of 17 colleges and universities to earn the Seal in 2024. In 2018, Excelencia introduced the Seal to certify trendsetting colleges and universities for their efforts to become learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. This year marks the organization’s 20th year of service to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education.

The Seal of Excelencia framework represents a rigorous assessment of certified institutions’ intentionality and impact. It assesses the institutions’ outcomes in retention, financial support and degree completion for Latinx students through the alignment of data, practice and leadership. Seal certification remains valid for three years, after which institutions can recertify progress.

“We are deeply honored to receive the Seal of Excelencia for our steadfast commitment to advancing the talents of Latinx students,” SFSU President Lynn Mahoney said. “Here at SF State, we understand the importance of providing an environment where students’ identities are celebrated and represented in their education. Earning the Seal reflects that.”

This year’s cohort of newly certified and recertified institutions belongs to a collective of 46 colleges and universities that have earned the Seal. Together, they represent less than 1% of all institutions but enroll 17% and graduate 19% of all Latinx students nationwide.

Specifically at SFSU, Latinx student enrollment doubled between 2010 and 2022. More than 39% of students identify as Latinx, making them the largest ethnic group among the University’s undergraduates.

“The colleges and universities that earn the Seal of Excelencia lead the charge in meeting our nation’s degree attainment goals,” said Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia of Education. “They demonstrate commitment to Latino student success through impact and ongoing self-assessment.”

Higher education, business, philanthropy and government leaders in Excelencia’s community convened in Washington, D.C., to recognize SFSU as one of eight institutions that earned the Seal of Excelencia for the first time, as well as nine other institutions that earned recertification. The announcement was part of the organization’s National Policy Forum, focused on innovating policies to accelerate Latinx degree attainment and strengthen our country’s civic leadership and workforce. The 17 Seal-certified institutions exemplify the kinds of programs and practices that inform good policy.

Before SFSU earned the Seal of Excelencia, President Mahoney joined Excelencia’s national network of Presidents for Latino Student Success (P4LSS). The network comprises over 200 higher education leaders committed to making their institutions learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. Institutions in the P4LSS network are eligible to apply for the Seal. To earn the Seal of Excelencia, they must demonstrate:

An intentional, institutional focus on advancing Latinx student success by aligning data and practice
Deliberate and ongoing assessment to identify and implement strategies that improve Latinx student achievement
Leadership commitment to continue transforming into an environment where Latinx students thrive
A long-term and unwavering commitment to intentionally serve Latinx, and all, students.

For example, SFSU is conducting targeted outreach efforts aimed at bolstering retention and degree completion rates among Latinx students. Much of this work is part of the California State University’s Equity Priority directives, which aim to eliminate equity gaps. Re-enrollment and re-engagement campaigns are also a priority with cross-campus units working to help our Latinx students who have dropped out return.

“Students and families as well as leaders in philanthropy, business and government look to colleges and universities that earned the Seal of Excelencia when making their institutional choices,” said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education. “Excelencia is proud to partner with institutions ensuring America’s bright future by advancing the talents of the Latino community.”

Interested in becoming a San Francisco State University student? Apply now!

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About San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University is a public university serving students from the San Francisco Bay Area, across California and around the world, with nationally acclaimed programs that span a broad range of disciplines. More than 22,000 students enroll at the University each year, and its approximately 294,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond. Through them — and more than 1,800 world-class faculty members — SF State proudly embraces its legacy of academic excellence, community engagement and commitment to social justice. For more information, visit sfsu.edu.

About Excelencia in Education

Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia in Education leads a national network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to tap the talents of the Latino community and address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. With this network, Excelencia accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, informing educational policies with a Latino lens and advancing evidence-based practices. In 2024, Excelencia marks 20 years of commitment to Latino student success. For more information, visit EdExcelencia.org.

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Social work student earns top CSU award, says ‘education radically transformed’ his life

Kent Bravo — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:12:58 +0000

Social work student earns top CSU award, says ‘education radically transformed’ his life

Author: Kent Bravo

September 23, 2024

Juan Carlos Arredondo (B.A.. ’24) returns to SFSU, pursues graduate degree to advance career in supporting migrant communities

Juan Carlos Arredondo faced challenges that profoundly disrupted his life. His father passed away when Arredondo was young, he had to navigate the United States education system as a child with very little guidance and he dropped in and out of college while pursuing an associate’s degree.

Despite these challenges, Arredondo persevered and turned his life around. Last spring he earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from San Francisco State University, graduating with a 4.0 grade-point average. He returned to San Francisco State this fall to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work. On top of that, he recently earned one of the most prestigious student accolades.

The California State University (CSU) has awarded Arredondo the Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the highest recognition of student achievement granted by the CSU. Each award provides a donor-funded scholarship to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and inspirational goals for the future. The awardees have demonstrated a deep commitment to making a positive impact on their generation, as well as those who come after them.

“Mr. Arredondo is an extraordinary person as well as a promising future professional who deserves the support provided by this award,” SF State President Lynn Mahoney said. “He possesses qualities of character, determination and personal excellence that’ll help him reach his goals and better our communities."

Arredondo was born in the U.S., relocated to Mexico due to his father’s death and eventually moved back to the U.S. When he returned, he spent all of his time outside of school helping with food preparation for his mother’s food truck that catered to agricultural workers. While this experience shaped his strong worth ethic, it also took away his focus on school at times and prevented him from joining extracurricular activities.

After a decade of financially insecure and high-pressure work, Arredondo committed to pursuing an undergraduate degree. At that time, he had learned about an agency at the U.S./Mexico border that provides counseling to migrants who are incarcerated and separated from their families. That’s when his dream of becoming a social worker came into focus. “I want to be a role model and catalyst for change and embody the representation and services that were not available during my youth,” he said.

While at SFSU, Arredondo worked hard toward his dream. He led a qualitative study that highlighted the voices of the unhoused population in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District and presented the findings at the 2024 Social Work Social Development Joint World Conference.

Arredondo also won the highly competitive Willie L. Brown , Jr. Fellowship, which landed him an internship with San Francisco’s Human Services Agency. There he helped connect emancipated foster youth to a guaranteed-income pilot program, shadowed social workers in the family maintenance and family reunification department and assisted with biopsychosocial assessments.

“Education radically transformed my life,” Arredondo said. “It has not only given me meaning and hope for the future, but it is also healing old wounds. It has made me aware that I have always been capable.”

Arredondo is also involved in helping the communities he deeply cares for. For example, he interns at Manzanita SEED Elementary School, where he provides bilingual behavioral therapy in Spanish and English.

“It is with tremendous joy and great pride that I celebrate the outstanding achievements and extraordinary perseverance of this year’s Trustees’ Scholars,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred García. “Through the visionary generosity of our donors, the CSU is able to uplift and support these diverse students and truly outstanding scholars who have overcome educational and personal hardships in pursuit of a college degree that will not only transform their lives, but will also elevate their families and strengthen their communities.”

Are you passionate about social work and supporting marginalized communities? Learn more about how SF State’s School of Social Work can help you make a difference.

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SF State students win national moot court competition

Steve Hockensmith — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 00:03:49 +0000

SF State students win national moot court competition

Author: Steve Hockensmith

March 12, 2024

Photo Credit: Olivia Clarke (left) and Mayuu Kashimura

Olivia Clarke and Mayuu Kashimura are the 2024 National Moot Court Champions in the Respondent’s Brief category

Two San Francisco State University students beat teams from colleges across the country to win the American Moot Court Association (AMCA) Brief Writing Competition. Olivia Clarke and Mayuu Kashimura’s brief prevailed over more than 200 others submitted by students from schools like Yale, Clemson and UC Berkeley.

“I was in shock when I first found out we won,” said Kashimura, a Political Science major who expects to graduate next May. “I remember calling Olivia as soon as I found out, and we were screaming.”

“I was ecstatic when I found out the news,” said Clarke, who’ll earn her Political Science degree this spring. “It was very surreal finding out that the brief we spent hours working on together had secured first place in the entire competition.”

Moot courts prepare students for the rigors of arguing a legal case. The brief competitions focus on the written arguments submitted by opposing sides. Clarke and Kashimura’s brief took the side of the respondent — the individual in the case rather than the government — to argue for a hypothetical woman’s right to use birth control as part of her freedom of religion and freedom of privacy.

“We picked this side because we felt like we were best equipped to argue a pro-respondent side,” said Clarke.

Clarke and Kashimura are members of San Francisco State’s relatively young Moot Court team. The team was created in 2017 when Nicholas Conway came to SF State as an assistant professor specializing in public law.

“As a part of joining the University and my college community, I wanted to contribute something and build a program that would allow our students to shine,” said Conway, who’s now an associate professor. “I had previously coached moot court while a graduate student, and after taking the job at SF State I wanted to leverage my prior efforts to give our students a vibrant educational experience. Luckily, I had a receptive audience in my Political Science department and in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts.”

The new Moot Court team met with success almost immediately. Gators Yana Gagloeva (B.A., ’19) and Liam Sidebottom (B.A., ’19) were the 2019 AMCA National Brief Writing Champions, and the team was ranked No. 19 in the nation last fall. Two other members of the team — Alistair Lee and Mckenna Clausman — placed 12^th in the respondent’s brief competition, while two more — Lucien Tomlinson and Kira Hammons — advanced to the final 16 in the oral arguments competition before being eliminated.

Though moot court is often seen as a way to prepare students for law school and the legal profession, Conway says the skills it develops are useful in any field.

“Moot court helps students develop important critical thinking skills,” he said. “As a part of the oral argument portion of the competition, students must argue both sides of a case during tournaments. In preparing their arguments over the course of several months, the students really investigate their legal questions inside-and-out. I believe it is important for students to be able to hear differing perspectives and critically evaluate them to enhance their reasoning skills and better understand their own views.”

Another benefit is the bonding that comes from working together as a team.

“When you’re a ‘mooter,’ you work hard and spend a great deal of time with your teammates in practices, traveling to competitions, actually competing together, etc.,” Conway said. “In those processes, students get to know one another and become friends. Former competitors from many years past are close friends to this day. I think that sense of friendship and community in moot court can be an enriching experience for a college student.”

Learn more about SF State’s Moot Court team or email Conway to get involved as a team member or supporter.

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SF State ranked eighth in the nation for social mobility

Steve Hockensmith — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:16:09 +0000

SF State ranked eighth in the nation for social mobility

Author: Steve Hockensmith

September 20, 2023

The University’s overall ranking also went up on this year’s U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list

U.S. News & World Report has ranked San Francisco State University eighth in the nation for social mobility in its 2024 Best Colleges list. San Francisco State’s overall ranking also jumped significantly over the previous year, up by 56, thanks to methodology changes that put more emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduates.

U.S. News & World Report changed its approach in response to criticism that some factors it previously weighted heavily, such as class size and alumni giving, tilted the scales in favor of wealthy private universities. For this year’s Best Colleges list, more than 50% of an institution’s rank was based on success in enrolling students from diverse backgrounds and graduating them with minimal debt. It also took the post-graduation success of graduates into account. As a result, several California State University (CSU) campuses saw significant jumps in their rankings, including SF State.

“SF State students come from diverse economic backgrounds — more than half of our students are fully supported by grant and scholarship aid,” said Senior Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Katie Lynch. “It makes sense that we are an engine for social mobility, but it’s more than that. It is the experience that students have at State that allows them to give back to their families, communities and more.”

On the 2024 Best Colleges list, SF State is ranked:

#8 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (tied with Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana)
#96 in Top Public Schools
#178 in National Universities
#49 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs

Learn more about applying for admission and financial aid at SF State.

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Awards and Achievements

SF State awarded gold rating for campus sustainability

Steve Hockensmith — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 18:39:35 +0000

SF State awarded gold rating for campus sustainability

Author: Steve Hockensmith

September 19, 2023

Photo Credit: Bruce Damonte. Sustainability-oriented buildings like SF State's all-electric Manzanita Square (above) helped the University land a gold STARS rating.

The ranking, given by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, was one of the highest for a CSU campus

San Francisco State University has been awarded one of the highest rankings available for campus sustainability: a gold from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). A program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), STARS assesses the practices of colleges and universities across the country — only 150 of which achieved a gold rating. Of the 22 California State University (CSU) campuses taking part in the STARS assessment this year, San Francisco State was ranked third, behind only CSU, Chico and Cal Poly Humboldt.

“We have been working for a year to document our many sustainability initiatives and are very excited our score reflects SF State’s expanding sustainability program,” said Director of Sustainability & Energy Caitlin Steele.

Among the new efforts featured in SF State’s 2023 STARS assessment were Climate HQ, the University’s new communication hub for climate action, and a Climate Change Certificate program that gives students a foundational understanding of climate change’s causes, effects and solutions. Other highlights included policy changes that deepen the San Francisco State University Foundation’s commitment to socially responsible investing and efforts to ensure that new campus buildings are constructed with sustainability as a top priority. The three-year-old Manzanita Square mixed-use residential center has won another top national ranking for sustainability — a LEED Gold certification — while the Science & Engineering Innovation Center and a new West Campus Green housing unit, both currently under construction, have been designed to do so, as well. Manzanita Square is an all-electric building that supports the state of California’s decarbonization efforts. The Science & Engineering Innovation Center and the new West Campus Green housing development will also be all-electric.

Steele also points to the University’s hiring of its first climate action coordinator, Taylor Mogavero, as an indication of its commitment to sustainability. Mogavero will develop and implement campus sustainability programs, build relationships both internally and externally to support sustainability initiatives and support a campus culture that reflects sustainability, social justice and climate action values. Current projects include analyzing the University’s 2023 transportation survey and updating its transportation demand management report, analyzing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a new climate action plan.

“It’s been amazing working at SF State so far. The sustainability initiatives here are already so strong, and there is great potential to be even better,” said Mogavero, who came to work for the University in August. “Starting my experience at SF State by completing the AASHE STARS report was really enlightening. The report is so detailed and really makes you think about every aspect of the University. We received a great score, but there’s always room to improve.”

Learn about how SF State’s Office of Sustainability works to create a more a sustainable and equitable University.

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