Media Contact: Emily Mercer,
EMercer@DallasCollege.edu
For immediate release — Dec. 3, 2024
(DALLAS) — Dallas College administrators Martha Fernandez and Patrick Vasquez completed the prestigious National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) Leadership Development Program, created for candidates interested in assuming leadership positions in community colleges. Both participated in the 2024 cohort.
“NCCHC provides a network of mentors who are driven and committed to student success,” Fernandez said. “The program helps build context and confidence around the skills needed to thrive in community college leadership.”
After starting her career in 2018 with Dallas College through the Dallas County Promise program, Fernandez has advanced in several areas of the college, including governmental affairs, workforce and advancement, and now as deputy chief of continuous improvement, where she collaborates across all areas of the college. As a former Dallas College student and an active member of her community, Fernandez’s goal is to continue to empower and inspire the leaders of tomorrow, including staff and students.
Patrick Vasquez
After serving in several leadership roles with four-year institutions, Vasquez, associate dean of pathway success, joined Dallas College in 2017 as director of first year experience and retention at the El Centro Campus. In 2021, he was selected to his current role, where the focus is on helping students navigate Guided Pathways to Success through career mapping and completing credentials that lead to transfer or employment.
“The program has provided me an amazing cohort of community college administrators from across the United States who have a passion and commitment for changing lives through education,” he said. “Through this experience, we developed leadership skills, learned about best practices and innovative strategies, and created a network of creative, dedicated and proactive leaders to lean on to continue our professional growth.”
NCCHC is an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), a national organization that has provided leadership to the community college movement for the past half-century. The council, which was established 30 years ago, works to promote the educational interests and success of the Hispanic community and emphasizes access, equity and excellence for students and staff in community colleges. Of the original 72 fellows, more than 15 have become community college presidents.
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