Key Takeaways
- MSU Denver earned recertification for the prestigious Seal of Excelencia, reaffirming its commitment to Latino student success after becoming Colorado’s first institution to receive the honor in 2023.
- The University ranked fifth nationally among TheDream.US scholarship partners, with $8.5 million awarded to Roadrunners for the 2025-26 academic year.
Metropolitan State University of Denver has earned two national distinctions that reflect its longstanding commitment to expanding educational opportunities for Latino and DREAMER students.
Seal of Excelencia
The University earned recertification for the Seal of Excelencia, recognizing intentionality, integrity and excellence at institutions who serve Latino students.
The honor follows MSU Denver’s first certification in 2023, when it became the first higher education institution in Colorado to earn it. It is valid for three years before colleges and universities must apply for recertification.
More than 37% of MSU Denver students are Latino. The University earned the federal Hispanic-Serving Institution distinction in 2019, which provides access to federal funding to expand educational opportunities and strengthen student success.
Dating back to 2018, the seal follows a rigorous application process in which institutions must show they have met specified standards in three core components: data, evidence-based practices and leadership.
National Dream.US Scholarship Ranking
Another achievement highlighting the University’s commitment to educational access took the form of millions of dollars in financial awards to students. MSU Denver was the No. 5-ranked partner of TheDream.US nationwide for scholarship opportunities for the 2025-26 year, reflecting $8.5 million awarded to Roadrunners.
Established as a public nonprofit in 2014, TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for Dreamers. It serves 79 higher education partners nationwide and has provided $326 million in scholarships.
The scholarship encourages applications from candidates who demonstrate commitment to community service and ability to overcome barriers, in addition to those with strong academic records.
