OCC President Angelica Suarez Earns National Honor

OCC Marketing & Public Relations

Jan 17, 2024

News Release
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The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) recognized Orange Coast College president, Dr. Angelica Suarez, as the recipient of its 2024 National President’s Award — the first California community college president to be honored with this prestigious award. This award is the highest honor NASPA bestows on a college or university president or chancellor.

“I am honored and humbled to have been selected for the NASPA’s National President’s Award,” said OCC President Angelica Suarez. “This recognition represents a life-long journey to positively impact the lives of students through education, thus changing the trajectory of families for future generations. As we know, the heart of an institution is its students, and this award reaffirms our collective purpose to create an environment where every student can thrive.”

Since Dr. Suarez began her presidency at OCC in 2019, she has emphasized a “Culture of Care,” which set the foundation for revising the Educational Master Plan in 2021 and the development of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Plan in 2022.

“As a college leader who inspires change and sets an example of care, Dr. Suarez serves as an excellent model of centering the needs of students and the work of student services professionals in the college experience and college strategic planning,” said Dr. Whitney Yamamura, Chancellor of the Coast Community College District.

NASPA’s National President’s Award is a special recognition given to a college or university president who has, over a sustained period, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting student affairs staff and programs.

Award recipients must show evidence of direct involvement in enhancing the quality of student life on campus, active attempts to involve students and student life staff in governing the institution, and demonstrable contributions to the profession that have an impact beyond an individual campus.

Previous award recipients include Janet Napolitano, former president of the University of California system.

The award will be presented at NASPA’s Annual Conference in Seattle in March.

OCC’s 11th president is the second woman and the first Latina to hold the position. Dr. Suarez’s narrative as an immigrant and first-generation college student connects her very directly to the shared experiences of California community college students. Her educational background includes a doctoral degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University Chicago, a master’s degree in counseling psychology from California State University at Long Beach, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from CSULB, and an associate’s degree from East Los Angeles College.

NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of student experience on campus through their support of student affairs staff and programs.