Two Malcolm X College Leaders Earn Spot in Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Leadership Academy

Two Malcolm X College leaders are working to ensure the senior-level staff at their college is as diverse as the students they serve. Now, they’re being recognized for their efforts to increase diverse representation in top positions at the college.

Dean of Malcolm X College’s satellite location, West Side Learning Center, Barbara Meschino, and Career & Workforce Executive Director Development Maria Gutierrez have both been awarded spots on the  Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)’s fifth cohort of its Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo.

Leaders of color who occupy top positions at universities and colleges across the country are eligible. Criteria for consideration into the Leadership Academy included mentorship with a senior-level administrator and developing a special project that has an impact on their college.

As members of the cohort, Meschino and Gutierrez will participate in the one-year fellowship program, which includes webinars and seminars in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Salamanca, Spain that will help develop leadership skills for working in higher education with an emphasis on Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Emerging HSIs.

In addition to the members of Malcolm X College in the cohort, the Leadership Academy consists of current and former presidents, chancellors, and senior administrators. Combined, they have more than 100 years in private/public universities, community colleges, and faith-based institutions. This is HACU’s fifth and largest cohort.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities was founded in 1986. It represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).