THE Northern Marianas College Board of Regents on Thursday renewed the contract of NMC’s president, Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero, Ed.D., for four years. Board of Regents Chairman Charles V. Cepeda made the announcement in the presence of Deleon Guerrero himself, Regents Zenie P. Mafnas, Jesse M. Tudela and Michelle L. Sablan, other college officials and NMC Foundation Board Chairman Vicente Babauta in the NMC BOR conference room at 11 a.m.
A long-time local educator, Deleon Guerrero became NMC president in May 2021 after he accepted the board’s job offer.
Cepeda on Thursday reiterated the regents' commitment to leadership stability and meeting local workforce needs.
"The regents are proud to announce that NMC President Dr. G's contract has been renewed for a term of four years," Cepeda said.
It was a lot of work, he added, as Deleon Guerrero had to go through an evaluation process, which involved not only the regents but also the college as a whole.
Cepeda said Deleon Guerrero has proven effective in forging partnerships, initiating new programs and expanding workforce development efforts.
The regents will continue to work with Deleon Guerrero in maintaining the college's momentum, especially in the construction of new buildings and facilities while ensuring that the community's interests are represented on the board of regents, and communicated to the president, Cepeda said.
This will allow the college to "respond effectively and efficiently to the students and families that we all serve," he added.
He acknowledged there are many challenges and obstacles that lie ahead, "but we, together with president, staff, faculty, and even students, will be able to overcome these, and ensure that the student community continues to receive high quality education services they expect to receive from NMC."
In his remarks, Deleon Guerrero said he was "humbled and honored" by the regents' confidence in him.
He said the board has provided critical leadership even before his time as college president, right after Super Typhoon Yutu, throughout the subsequent economic turbulence and the Covid-19 pandemic. He also noted that college officials have been working with Cepeda and the board for the past two years along with the college community, which "has been very inspiring."
"I see how much everyone cares deeply for the college, stakeholders and our community," Deleon Guerrero said.
Exciting time
"This is an exciting time," he added. He said he was truly honored to be entrusted with a four-year term because the college is headed for amazing places, referring to the facilities master plan, the student center, “and all the new buildings that are going to come.” These include buildings for the NMC-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Services, workforce development, a new gymnasium and a healthcare training facility.
Deleon Guerrero also noted the college's new strategic master plan developed with stakeholders and the regents.
The plan involves new initiatives, new programs and new degree programs so that NMC can continue to meet the needs of the community, especially the workforce needs that will help stimulate the local economy, he added.
Above all, Deleon Guerrero said, what's exciting about the college is that "we have amazing people here. We have our faculty, our staff, our administrators, our alumni, our students, our regents and the foundation."
With this amount of support for the college, and “with the people that work hard to keep the proa from sinking, and to keep it sailing ahead, I can't think of no better job than to work with these amazing crew as we sail ahead," Deleon Guerrero said.
The proa, the traditional canoe, is NMC’s mascot.
Deleon Guerrero said he looks forward to the next four years. "So thank you very much, thank you to the college community, thank you chairman and our Board of Regents," he said.