“I am honored to be a part of this prestigious institute, alongside these brilliant colleagues, at this crucial moment in time,” stated Dr. Hands. “The ability to engage in dialogue, analyze and humanize data and actively plan to dismantle barriers that prevent equity and excellence, sets my soul on fire. I am ready for this journey and am excited to see how the overflow of this learning will impact higher and more equitable levels of student success at San Diego Mesa College.”
Dr. Hands started her tenure as President at San Diego Mesa College on July 1, 2022. An equity-focused leader with a deep commitment to diversity, access and student success, Dr. Hands served as vice president of Student Services at Mesa College since 2016. She joined Mesa College in 2008 and held positions as dean of Student Affairs, acting dean of Student Development and Matriculation, and acting vice president of Student Services.
This class of fellows represent the diversity of our nation’s community colleges, collectively serving over 250,000 students at colleges across the nation, in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The incoming class of New Presidents Fellows is 46 percent female and 65 percent are people of color. Located in 19 states, their institutions too are diverse, from a tribal college with fewer than 300 students to an urban college that educates more than 35,000 each year.
The fellows, selected through a competitive process, will work closely with other transformational community college presidents and Aspen leaders over nine months to learn from field-leading research, analyze their colleges’ student outcomes, and clarify their visions for excellent and equitable outcomes for students while in college and after they graduate.
“The quality of our nation’s community colleges depends on the quality of our college presidents,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program. “I am continually inspired and motivated by the dedication and expertise that our fellows bring to the work of advancing excellence and equity on their campuses, and I look forward to seeing the changes they make in real time to improve outcomes for their students.”
JPMorgan Chase’s philanthropic support for the Aspen Presidential Fellowship is part of the firm’s New Skills at Work initiative to prepare young people for the future of work and meet the growing demand for skilled workers, and the $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and drive an inclusive economy.
Bios and photos of all 26 leaders
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to achieve this higher standard and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes.
The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.