A diverse group students walking down the steps together at ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø's Hayward campus

²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø Wins Two National Awards for Transformative Student Success and Equity Work

BY Kimberly Hawkins

January 22, 2026

²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø has been recognized nationally for its innovative and equity-centered approach to assessment and student success — earning two national honors from NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

The university received Gold in the in Assessment, Persistence, and Data Analytics and was also named Grand Bronze for Overall Excellence, which places ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø among the top programs nationwide across all award categories.

The recognition honors the Student Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness and Research Data Partnership for Equity and Student Success, a campus-wide collaboration that helps the university better understand what supports students and what truly helps them stay, succeed and graduate. By using clear, accessible data tools and a shared approach to assessment, Student Affairs programs can demonstrate how services such as counseling, housing, recreation and equity programs make a real difference in students’ lives.

This work has helped ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø close equity gaps, improve graduation rates and shift assessment from a paperwork exercise into a meaningful way to tell student stories and improve support.

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