Leaving a legacy behind
After 23 years of service to Texas A&M University-Kingsville and 10 years as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dean Dr. Dolores Guerrero is retiring at the end of the summer marking the end of a career dedicated to student success.
“Over the years she has had a lot of different impacts. She’s fought for the students, she listens to the students, she works with the students, she’s helped establish new programs on campus, she helped enlarge programs and encouraged departments to look at their curriculums and rethink how we actually deliver the courses. She’s just done a lot of things over the years in various ways and various manners depending on where the college and where the department is at that point in time,” Department Chair for the Art, Communication and Theatre department Todd Lucas said.
Working with the students is something that Dean Guerrero takes great pride in.
“It’s always a gift that I get the opportunity to visit with a student and kind of get to know them and hear their story and hear about their background and then try to help guide them, advise them encourage and support them. When a student walks out of my office I always give them my card and tell them that if they hit a wall or have some concerns I am here,” Dean Guerrero said.
Unwavering support for faculty and understanding the needs of each department within the College of Arts and Sciences has been a pillar for Guerrero’s body of work over the past 10 years as Dean of the College of Art and Sciences.Bringing together each and every department within the college and prioritizing their success.
“Dean Guerrero is a unifying figure within the college, and that is something that I have a great deal of respect for. What she had to deal with was 10 different academic departments with 26 different programs plus the Conner Museum, so unlike other colleges where there is a unifying academic approach or theme like engineering or agriculture, the College of Arts and Sciences is incredibly diverse,” Dr. Jeff Glick, associate dean of Academic Success, said. “She had to understand the needs of different programs and different kinds of academics, so one of the things that was really exceptional about her leadership was that she was able to synergize all of these different voices.”
Influence leads to impact, this is especially true for Dean Guerreros’ time as part of Javelina Nation and the College of Arts and Sciences. During her time at the university the College of Arts and Sciences has flourished but most importantly countless students have learned and achieved higher education.
“I hope that I have very simply made a difference in the lives of students, faculty, staff and people I have worked with. I’m a believer that you support others to be the best that they can be so in a leadership position that’s our students, but it’s also our faculty and staff. Help them be the best they can be, support them and encourage them,” Dean Guerrero said.