Dr. Cecilia Cervantes retired as President of Hennepin Technical College (HTC) in MN on June 30, 2015 after seven years of service. She was named President Emeritus by the Board of Trustees of the MN State College and University System. With over 42 years of teaching and administrative higher education experience, she also served for six years (2002-2008) as President of College of Alameda in CA and for almost two years (2017-2019) as Interim President of Santa Fe Community College in NM. Additionally, she has been a faculty member, director, dean, vice president, and provost in CO, NM, and TX at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Community College of Denver, Western New Mexico University, Dona Ana Community College, and at El Paso Community College. She has been a leader at the national level as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges. She was also a board member of the National Community College Hispanic Council and contributed as Board President. The Eden Prairie (MN) Chamber of Commerce selected her to receive the Athena Leadership Award in 2014. Dr. Cervantes’ current professional work focuses on Leadership Development for community college presidents and for governing board members. She also concentrates on transforming colleges by embracing diversity and inclusion, improving student success, and engaging college staff with students and with the community.

Dr. Cervantes earned bachelor and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Colorado. She is a native of El Paso, TX and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She and her husband, Dr. Hermes Cervantes are the proud grandparents of Antonio and Andreas.