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Women's History Month: Becoming a Dean

At Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), the majority -- or four of the six college or school deans -- are women. Among them are mothers, a first woman Hispanic dean, and women of international origins who’ve adapted to vastly different countries and higher education systems.

Here, TAMIU’s women deans: Dr. Jennifer Coronado, Graduate School; Dr. Claudia San Miguel, College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Marivic Torregosa, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Dr. Barbara Hong, University College, share their life stories and the challenges they’ve had to overcome as women to reach their positions of leadership.

 

Dr. Coronado

Dr. Jennifer Coronado

Graduate School Dean

I grew up in southeastern Michigan and attended Eastern Michigan University where I earned a B.S. in Elementary Education. I minored in Spanish, a language that I wanted to use within the elementary classroom setting. Upon graduating from college, I was hired to teach bilingual kindergarten classes in Alief Independent School District in Houston. While living in Houston, I earned an M.Ed. in Bilingual Education from Houston Baptist University. When I moved to Laredo, I taught mathematics at Memorial Middle School. I then decided to pursue a mid-management certificate in Educational Administration from TAMIU.

I started working at TAMIU in 1997 as an Instructor in the College of Education and earned my Ph.D. in 2005. I have held various positions at TAMIU that provided me with opportunities to acquire the skills needed to serve as an administrator. I was the Center for Professional Development and Teaching (CPDT) Director, Chair for the Department of Teacher Preparation, Assistant to the Dean, and Interim Dean for the College of Education before becoming the Dean of the Graduate School.

I hope to positively affect the undergraduate and graduate students I have the privilege of teaching. I enjoy seeing my previous students, who are now certified teachers, and hearing about their successes in their classrooms. As Dean of the Graduate School, I encourage them to pursue a Master’s degree and to become a leader on their campus or in their district.

As a mother, it was challenging pursuing a doctoral degree, working full time as the CPDT Director, and teaching four classes while raising my two young daughters. They were 2-and 3-years-old when I started my doctoral program. They motivated me to complete my degree as quickly as possible. I was able to finish my Ph.D. program in two and a half years. That experience has given me a deeper connection to our graduate students, many of whom are also full-time mothers and employees.

We need to acknowledge and honor women’s contributions to history, be aware of women’s issues, and celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Young women and girls need to know what is possible. By becoming the Vice-President of the United States, Kamala Harris is an example of what is possible. As General Jacqueline Van Ovost, the military’s highest-ranking female officer serving in the Air Force, stated, “To be it, you have to be able to see it.”

You need to be a life-long learner. Stay current with what is happening in your field. Be dependable, organized, hardworking, trustworthy, a good listener, and always be positive. Also take time for yourself, read a good book, exercise, spend time with your family and friends, travel. And don’t forget to take time to stop and smell the roses.

Dr. Coronado

Dr. Claudia San Miguel

College of Arts and Sciences Dean

By academic training, I am a professor (associate professor) of Criminal Justice and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. I am the first Hispanic and first female to hold the deanship position in Arts and Sciences at TAMIU—an honor that I’m very cognizant of every time I walk into my office. As a minority female, my background informs my approach to education and everything I do as dean. I strive to provide opportunities for all students and faculty, especially those of minority backgrounds. My mission as dean, which aligns with that of TAMIU, is to educate students, usually from lower socioeconomic as well as diverse backgrounds and levels of preparation, to be well-equipped with knowledge and skills for rewarding careers.

 

As dean, I try to ensure a balance between teaching and research so that faculty can foster and build meaningful relationships with students. Personally, TAMIU has had a profound impact on my life. I graduated from TAMIU with both my B.S. and M.S. in Criminal Justice. I’m proud to be a Dustdevil. As a first-generation Hispanic female, TAMIU, along with my faculty mentors, equipped me with the knowledge and skills that prepared me for a rewarding career as an educator. Those meaningful relationships with my mentors gave me the skills and confidence to pursue a Master’s degree and eventually a Doctoral degree.

 

I attended Sam Houston State University and graduated with a Ph.D. in 2005. I’ve been working at TAMIU since then. Back when I attended TAMIU, there were only three buildings on campus—the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall and Bob Bullock Hall. As the first class of students to attend TAMIU on this campus, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come.

Throughout my years in higher education, students have often asked me why I pursued a degree in academia. My answer has always been simple—I felt I could make the greatest impact by being an educator. I elaborate by explaining that educating students allows me to foster, build, and empower them with knowledge about the field and the world around them so that they can in turn be in positions to guide future policy decisions. To a large extent, my answer is similar when asked why I chose to become an administrator. I was first a program director (Criminal Justice Program), then a department chair (Department of Social Sciences), and now dean of a College (Arts & Sciences). These various administrative roles have allowed me to have the most impactful effect on core academic values. That is, these roles have allowed me to foster, build, and empower others, mainly faculty, to provide meaningful educational experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom, for our students.

I think everyone faces challenges in leadership positions—male or female. But, we (i.e., females) have historically lived in a workplace environment that presumes males are better leaders. While females are being promoted to leadership positions more and more frequently, especially in higher education, we still face challenges. Although I am conscious of this reality and am grateful for mentors, such as Dr. Rolando del Carmen (faculty mentor at Sam Houston State University) and Dr. Tom Mitchell (Provost at TAMIU), who have provided tremendous support to me throughout my journey in higher education…I don’t approach my day thinking about challenges between females and males. Rather, I approach each day thinking about how I can assist faculty, staff and students in my College. Thus, the challenges I think about are related to achieving my goal as dean. I also think that people have the capacity to write their own story. In other words, each one of us holds the “pen” to write chapters in our own book and we can determine our own future. As a female, I choose to write my story by focusing on how I can make a difference. Each day, I strive to make a difference. With respect to my deanship, I seek to make a difference in the lives of our students.     

While I think one month is too short to highlight the many accomplishments women have achieved, Women’s History Month is important as it does help all of us to observe and reflect on women’s amazing contributions in art, education, politics, engineering, medicine, science, criminal justice, and so much more. I just wish these accomplishments were celebrated every day!

Be mindful of the past and the struggles women have faced, but do not let them or others deter you from achieving your goals. You have the capacity and strength to write your own story, to write her-story.

 
Dr. Coronado

Dr. Marivic Torregosa

College of Nursing & Health Sciences Dean

I am Marivic Torregosa, was born and raised in the Philippines, started my nursing career in New York City in 1994. I came to Laredo in 1995 for a nursing job opportunity at Mercy Hospital. While working as a nurse, I enrolled myself in a Master’s degree in Family Nursing Practice when at that time no one knew what the role of Family Nurse Practitioners was going to be. That decision to go to graduate school was borne out of curiosity about the higher education in the U.S. I came to TAMIU in 2003 as a clinical instructor, enrolled myself in a research doctorate in nursing and later became promoted and tenured. My current and past professional experiences as a clinician has given me some insights on how the College can prepare nurses and health professionals for the workforce. These experiences in some ways inform my decisions on what sorts of new programs the College can offer as well as implement pedagogical strategies to enhance student success. 

As a nurse educator and Dean of the College, I hope I would be able to contribute to the preparation of health professionals who are not only equipped with critical thinking skills to problem-solve the unknown health problems of the future, but also individuals who exemplify compassion, kindness, and caring for the populations we serve. It is my hope that together with faculty and students, we may be able to contribute to address health disparities in the region.

To become Dean, one must pass the scrutiny of the tenure and promotion process. But perhaps the greatest challenge as a Dean is gaining a greater understanding of the changing and different  needs of constituents and stakeholders within the College, the University and the community… and how these nuances influence decision-making and the direction of the College in the pursuit of advancing TAMIU’s  mission.

It important that we celebrate the contributions of women in the past and our current generation. We celebrate and thank them for paving the way so we can be here where we are now.

I would say train and work hard, find good mentors -- they may not be in your field -- and take some calculated risks.

Dr. Coronado

Dr. Barbara Hong

University College Dean

Born and raised in Singapore, I came to the U.S. to attend school at Brigham Young University in Hawaii when I was 24. I went on to earn three Master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from Columbia. I have been a professor for almost 18 years and have taught in Hawaii, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Turkey, and Qatar. I feel that my international engagements have provided me the multivariate perspectives and courage in making challenging decisions every day as a dean.

I hope that when I depart from University College, I’ve left the place a little better than when I found it. I hope to have left a small but indelible mark when folks reminisce about my deanship. Finally, I hope that I have touched the life of at least one student, if not many.

I have had to learn to speak up, but I never feel I have to prove myself to anyone. I am who I am. I like myself and I am confident in my delivery. I believe in taking charge of my life and not leaving it to external forces to determine my day-to-day happiness or who I ultimately want to become. I am not competitive; I’m simply ambitious. It’s something I fight within myself to challenge the “me” to become better tomorrow than today.

Women’s History Month is a celebration of who we are and the worth of our souls. Everyone, male and female, young and old, ought to celebrate our identity because we are all part of the present in the making of our history. Women have walked in milestones that I can only admire from afar. I believe in equitable treatment, the ethics of caring, and doing good to others as you would have others do unto you.

Be willing to apologize but do not apologize for being who you are.

Be ready to take on challenges, but do not challenge yourself to prove to others.

Be demanding, but do not give in to demands that do not align with your personal values.

Be yourself, but do not become someone whom you can’t recognize by the time you achieve your highest potential.