El Paso Advocate for First-Generation and Hispanic Students Joins Lumina's Board

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Apr 08, 2021, 14:00 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, April 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- El Paso Community College President William Serrata has joined Lumina Foundation's Board of Directors, which today concluded its spring meeting. Earlier this year, the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education honored Serrata for early career achievements.

Since joining the community college district as president in 2012, Serrata has increased student success and student retention. He also has boosted dual-credit enrollment and graduation rates at El Paso. Much of this success was realized through a focus on Hispanic and Latino students and students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Serrata became chairman of the board of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) last July. Several months earlier, in late 2019, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) named Serrata the nation's top community college CEO for his commitment to advancing the community college movement.

"William is a national leader and brings an experienced focus on first-generation and Hispanic students," said Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation. "His wealth of knowledge can contribute to our goal of increasing opportunities for quality learning after high school."

Under Serrata's leadership, El Paso Community College was among 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The Aspen Institute awards this prize every two years in recognition of outstanding outcomes among 1,120+ community colleges nationally in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion rates, graduates' labor market outcomes, and levels of access, retention, and program completion among students of color and those from lower-income households.

In 2016, El Paso received the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC)Student Success Award and the Association of Community College Trustees' (ACCT) Western Regional Equity Award. Hispanic Outlook on Education also has recognized Serrata as national leader in awarding associate degrees to Hispanic and Latino students.

Serrata is involved in the El Paso community and serves on boards of local and state-level associations. Nationally, he serves on the advisory board of the Higher Education Research and Development Institute, a forum for bringing together business and community college leaders. Serrata previously served on the National Student Clearinghouse Advisory Council and was a 2015 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow.

Serrata holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University, a master's degree from the University of Texas at Brownsville, and a doctorate in educational human resource development, also from Texas A&M.

About Lumina

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation's need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Our goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy.

Contact:
Tracy Chen, Lumina Foundation
[email protected]

SOURCE Lumina Foundation