Galvin Deleon Guerrero, EdD, President of Northern Marianas College (NMC), has been recognized as a 2024 Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Awardee by the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) Board of Directors.
APAHE is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities for Asian and Pacific American students; promoting and supporting the hiring, retention, and advancement of qualified Asian and Pacific American faculty, staff, and administrators; and creating a better understanding of issues in the public affecting Asian and Pacific Americans in higher education.
Dr. Deleon Guerrero, Dr. G as he is called, was nominated by APAHE Board President Dr. Rowena Tomaneng for his strong support of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and ensuring that Pacific Islander students in the US territories are being served. The APAHE Board voted unanimously to recognize him as one of three CEO awardees from around the United States.
Deleon Guerrero expressed his gratitude for being chosen for the award and noted the significance of the work done by APAHE and NMC.
“I cannot thank the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) Board enough for this surprising and humbling honor. I appreciate all that APAHE does for our Asian American and Pacific Islander students and the broader higher education landscape, and to be nominated by President Rowena Tomaneng and to be recognized by the Board means more to me than I can adequately put into words. This award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of every single member of our amazing Proa Tribe at NMC and will draw attention to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our Micronesian region, particularly the indigenous Chamorro and Refaluwasch people of the Marianas,” Deleon Guerrero said.
Deleon Guerrero officially took the helm as President of NMC in July 2021. For over two decades, he has served in many educational policy positions, including the CNMI State Board of Education, the NMC Board of Regents, and as an education advisor for the CNMI Office of the Governor. He has also served in numerous educational leadership positions in K-12 and post-secondary institutions, including stints as President, Principal, and Vice Principal, and Director of Institutional Development at Mount Carmel School and as Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation Liaison Officer of NMC.
He holds an education doctorate (EdD) in organizational change leadership from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, a certificate in digital filmmaking from New York University, a Master of Arts degree in School Administration from the University of San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Puget Sound.
During his first two and a half years as President of NMC, Dr. G has been known as an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and for creating more opportunities for the growth of students, staff, and faculty. He has led NMC’s efforts to build partnerships with the CNMI Government, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, and nonprofit organizations to address needs in workforce development and community development.
A few of his initiatives include:
Creation of NMC’s New Strategic Master Plan
In September 2022, NMC formally adopted a new strategic master plan that focuses on three strategic priorities: take care of our people, take care of our resources, and take care of our community. With a new mission of stewardship through scholarship and a comprehensive and diverse set of high-quality academic programs, student services, and innovative research, NMC is taking on a new direction to transform lives, create opportunities, and empower the workforce of the Northern Mariana Islands to be active and productive citizens within the communities of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
Establishment of the CNMI Green Growth Initiative
In January 2024, the CNMI Office of the Governor and Northern Marianas College established the CNMI Green Growth Initiative, a working group chaired by the CNMI Governor and the NMC President to facilitate a bold, comprehensive, and Commonwealth-wide approach to sustainable and regenerative development through the creation and implementation of a CNMI Green Growth Action Strategy. The Green Growth Action Strategy shall set forth and accelerate locally driven, culturally informed solutions to meet the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the CNMI.
Pursuit of Sea Grant Status and Expansion of Research Capacity at NMC
In February 2023, NMC submitted a letter of intent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program to initiate the formal process of becoming a Sea Grant institution. With a mission to enhance the use and conservation of coastal and marine resources to create a strong and sustainable economy, a healthy environment, and resilient communities, the Sea Grant network consists of federal-university partnerships between NOAA and 34 university-based programs in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, and Guam. In September 2023, NMC hosted more than 30 Sea Grant network directors, representatives, and researchers on Saipan as part of the National Sea Grant Association Fall Meeting. Pursuit of Sea Grant status is part of ongoing goals for NMC to expand its current research portfolio, which encompasses aquaculture, hydroponics, and food science, as well as its Natural Resource Management Program’s focus areas and curriculum development.
Expansion of NMC’s AANAPISI Program (Project PROA)
In September 2022, NMC expanded its AANAPISI program, Project PROA, through a competitive $2.5 million five-year cooperative grant by the U.S. Department of Education’s AANAPISI Program to establish the Proa Pathway Partnership with Portland State University (PSU). The grant expands efforts of the existing Project PROA grant which has been instrumental in increasing overall retention and graduation rates since its inception in 2016, in addition to increasing students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM. The Proa Pathway Partnership is a collaborative effort between NMC and PSU with a mission to help Asian American and Pacific Islander or AAPI students successfully graduate from college and enter into meaningful careers by providing services that will help them identify career paths in STEM, receive mentorship and guidance, and gain research experience that aligns with their educational and career goals.
The APAHE CEO Award honors the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander American college presidents and will be presented at APAHE’s annual conference on Friday, April 5 in Oakland, California.