UIC administrator named inaugural fellow of Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities academy

UIC administrator Rudy Molina Jr. has been selected by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities as one of the first 24 fellows of the inaugural Presidential Leadership Academy, La Academia de Liderazgo.

The program aims to increase Hispanic representation in presidential positions in higher education. In 2006, 4.5% of university presidents were Hispanic, but that number dropped to 3.9% by 2016, despite the growth of Hispanic student enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities.

“I’m honored for the opportunity and I look forward to representing UIC,” said Molina, associate vice chancellor for student success in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “UIC’s participation in the HACU Presidential Leadership Academy is one more example, in a long list of efforts, of how senior leadership is moving the organization forward.”

Fellows will participate in leadership development activities, including national seminars, and will be mentored by more than a dozen current and emeriti presidents and senior-level administrators. Participants also will develop special projects designed to have an impact at their current institution.

“I look forward to participating in conversations with colleagues around the country who are committed to student success, particularly for those who have been historically underrepresented and/or misunderstood in higher education,” Molina said.

The program will focus specifically on leadership positions within Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) and Emerging HSIs. UIC is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.

“The Presidential Leadership Academy, La Academia de Liderazgo, meets HACU’s mission to champion Hispanic success in Hispanic higher education,’” said HACU President and CEO Antonio Flores. “By preparing more Latinos/Latinas for leadership roles with a special focus on Hispanic-Serving Institutions, HACU and the fellows who participate will have a profound impact on the students they serve and the institutions they lead.”

At UIC, Molina provides oversight of campus student success initiatives, including advising and academic coaching. He received his bachelor’s in Mexican American studies, master’s in bilingual/special education and rehabilitation, and doctoral degree in language, reading and culture at the University of Arizona.