Alisha

[Alisha @A_Heath2]

Born in TX to Mexican immigrants, Dr. Garcia is a first-gen college student who earned a Ph.D. at the Univ. of TX. I find her an inspiration as she has acted as a role model for other first-gen college students & immigrants & for her work to make higher ed more accessible to all.

[Alisha @A_Heath2]

I believe Dr. Julieta Garcia deserves a spotlight as she was the first Mexican-American woman president of a US college or university when she was appointed president of the University of Texas in 1986.

[Alisha @A_Heath2]

Dr. Garcia's accolades include being named one of Time's Top 10 College Presidents in 2009 and Fortune's Top 50 World Leaders in 2014. She was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022 for her work in transforming the educational landscape in Brownsville, Texas.