Herrera Villarreal named AAC&U New Leadership Academy Fellow
San Diego State University's Felisha Herrera Villarreal is seemingly in a state of constant motion.
Whether it’s leading her research center, taking on federally-funded projects or supporting faculty as an SDSU Division of Research and Innovation fellow, the professor of postsecondary education and community college leadership never shies away from an opportunity to make a difference in higher education.
Which leads us to her latest big move.
In January, Herrera Villarreal was selected as a New Leadership Academy Fellow by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), a national organization of more than 1,000 member organizations dedicated to advancing quality and equity in undergraduate education.
“This opportunity marks a culminating point in my career, emerging from deep reflection on how our work can have greater impact,” Herrera Villarreal said. “AAC&U has been a national leader in advancing educational excellence and scaling up high-impact practices. It’s one of the most respected preparation pathways for emerging leaders, so I’m really excited for this opportunity.”
As a fellow, she will take part in an immersive, six-month experience that includes coaching, research-informed strategies and mentorship from nationally-recognized leaders. Significantly, she was selected as part of a specialized track offering additional curriculum focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) faculty at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), which includes full funding from the NSF.
“That’s been the focus area of my work for over two decades,” Herrera Villarreal said. “That funding from the National Science Foundation is through the HSI Hub, which is looking at bringing together HSI STEM work for institutions across the country. This work highlights HSIs as engines for advancing economic mobility and contributing to national priorities for global leadership in STEM..”
At SDSU, Herrera Villarreal is the founding director of RES Institute, a center that examines P-20 educational trajectories and the contexts that engage and support students. She also recently broadened her campuswide role as a fellow for faculty programs with SDSU’s Division of Research and Innovation.
A nationally recognized scholar, she has spearheaded several NSF-funded research projects. Since 2022, she has been part of the NSF INCLUDES Alliance, working to accelerate experiential learning in STEM education.
Herrera Villarreal, who recently participated in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) Leadership Academy, is hoping her latest experience as New Leadership Academy Fellow will ultimately pay dividends for her home campus.
“I think there are a lot of ways that people are being innovative and coming together across the nation to think about how we continue to support faculty and uplift them in these challenging times,” she said. “I hope this opportunity allows me to bring some of that work here to San Diego State as we continue to build our research capacity in alignment with our status as a Research 1 university that is committed and connected to the region’s innovation and economic priorities — as well as to the communities that we serve.”
