Meet Dr. Seher Awan: President of Mission College
Leading with Passion, Empowering Students, and Building Stronger Communities
Dr. Seher Awan, a proud first-generation college graduate, knows the transformative power of education. With 16 years of dedicated leadership in higher education, Dr. Awan’s journey has been shaped by her passion for helping students succeed. She took on the role of President at Mission College in August 2022, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to fostering an inclusive and vibrant college community.
A Legacy of Leadership and Student Success
Before coming to Mission College, Dr. Awan served as the College President at Los Angeles Southwest College from 2018 to 2022, where she made a profound impact by securing significant funding for student support services and initiatives. She’s known for her ability to build strong partnerships and improve student outcomes, including increasing student efficiency from 60% to 90%—the highest in the LA Community College District.
Dr. Awan’s earlier leadership roles include Vice President of Administrative Services at San Diego City College (2014-2018), where she contributed to making the college a thriving Hispanic-Serving Institution. In 2017, she was honored as one of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges' 40 Under 40.
An Educator at Heart
In addition to her administrative roles, Dr. Awan is also passionate about teaching. She’s been an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University and San Diego City College, sharing her expertise in business and economics, including teaching courses in juvenile hall. Her academic background includes a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University, where she focused on rebuilding trust in community colleges.
Mission College: A Vision for the Future
As President, Dr. Awan is focused on ensuring Mission College continues to thrive and provide a student-centered, inclusive learning environment. She is committed to aligning the college’s efforts with the Strategic Education Master Plan to enhance academic success, career pathways, and community partnerships.
Join the Mission College President's Circle
The Mission College President’s Circle is a prestigious philanthropic group made up of community leaders, alumni, and supporters who are dedicated to the college’s success. Whether you’re a business leader, an alum, or a community member, there are many ways to contribute to Mission College’s mission. Learn more about joining the President's Circle and making a lasting impact on our students and programs.
Interested in connecting with Dr. Awan or learning more about her initiatives?
Visit the President’s Office or reach out via phone or email. Together, we can create an inspiring future for Mission College students and the entire community.
Phone: (408) 855-5123
Email: [email protected]
Department: President's Office
President’s Priorities: Leading with Vision and Purpose
The priorities of the Mission College President’s Office are directly aligned with our Strategic Education Master Plan (SEMP). These initiatives focus on improving student success, expanding community partnerships, and enhancing the college’s infrastructure to create a vibrant and responsive academic environment. Our updates page is regularly updated to provide the campus community with the latest news on these initiatives.
For a quick overview of current and upcoming priorities, visit Mission College President's Priorities Page.
The Mission College President’s Circle brings together community leaders, successful
alumni, businesses, and individual donors who are passionate about supporting the
college’s mission and growth. As part of this elite group, members contribute to the
success of our students and help drive forward the vision of excellence in education
at Mission College. Interested in joining this distinguished group? Learn more about
the benefits and how to get involved on our President's Circle Page.
Recognizing the importance of work-life balance, Mission College developed the Telework Values Framework after assessing the telework experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. This framework emphasizes flexibility, while ensuring that we remain student-ready. It reflects our commitment to employee satisfaction and joy in the workplace.
Employees can access several resources related to telework, including:
- Microsoft Teams Training for enhanced collaboration.
- Docusign Telework Requests for telework agreements with supervisors.
Learn more about the framework and resources at Telework Values Framework Page.
Mission College’s Business Breakfast serves as a key event for connecting with partners from the private, public, and
non-profit sectors. The breakfast provides a platform to discuss college updates and
explore new ways to enhance our community role. The event encouraged meaningful dialogue
about the shared future and growth of Mission College.
The Executive Team at Mission College prepares comprehensive reports for the West Valley-Mission Board of Trustees, which are shared with the campus community to ensure transparency. These reports detail the college’s progress, achievements, and ongoing efforts to improve student success. For the latest updates and full reports, visit our Board Reports Page.
Mission College hosts Virtual Town Halls each month to keep the campus community informed and engaged. These sessions offer an opportunity for the President and Vice Presidents to provide updates, discuss new initiatives, and encourage open feedback. Each town hall is recorded and shared for those who are unable to attend live.
To access past town halls, visit our Town Hall Recordings Page.
Our Annual Reports highlight the progress we’ve made, the challenges we’ve faced,
and the achievements we’ve celebrated throughout the year. The Annual Report covers
milestones in student success, community engagement, and institutional growth. Learn
more on our Annual Report Page.
The Budget & Enrollment Summit is an annual event where leadership across all constituencies gathers to discuss the upcoming budget and enrollment strategies. The summit focuses on building community trust, understanding the financial landscape, and exploring ways to ensure sustainable growth while prioritizing student success.
The summit’s outcomes will help guide Mission College in shaping strategies for both enrollment growth and financial sustainability.
In 2023, Mission College applied to participate in the Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI), a process designed to enhance our institutional effectiveness through a focus on inclusion, student success, and community responsiveness. This initiative helps us reflect on practices and implement strategies that support all student populations, including those from historically underserved communities.
Find out more about this important initiative on our IEPI Page.
Mission College is proud to participate in the Leading from the Middle initiative, which supports incarcerated and justice-impacted students. This program offers professional development to faculty and staff to ensure that we are creating an inclusive and supportive campus environment for all students, including those who have been impacted by the justice system.
For more details, visit the Leading from the Middle Page.
The Strategic Education Master Plan (SEMP) outlines our college’s goals for the next three years, developed through comprehensive campus climate surveys, focus groups, and environmental scans. The 2024-2027 SEMP has been approved and is now available for review. This plan ensures that our efforts are focused on the priorities that will most effectively serve our students and the wider community.
Learn more about the SEMP and explore our future goals at the SEMP Page.
These initiatives represent Mission College’s ongoing commitment to fostering student success, community engagement, and institutional excellence. For updates on these and other programs, visit our website regularly and join us in shaping the future of Mission College.
Former Presidents of Mission College
- Warren Sorenson - September 1, 1976 - June 30, 1980
- D. Candy Rose - July 1, 1980 - April 30, 1981 (Acting Superintendent/President)
- Frank Pearce - May 1, 1981 - June 4, 1981 (Superintendent/President, WVJCCD)
- D. Candy Rose - June 5, 1981 - July 2, 1981 (Acting President)
- John Collins - July 1, 1984 - May 31, 1985 (Interim President)
- Bob Bergmann - April 1, 1985 - April 30, 1985 (Interim President)
- Gustavo Mellander - May 1, 1985 - June 9, 1985 (President)
- Robert Bergmann - June 10, 1985 - August 31, 1985 (Acting President)
- Betty Dean - September 1, 1985 - June 30, 1990 (President)
- Richard Hayden - July 1, 1990 - June 30, 1991 (Interim President)
- Floyd Hogue - July 1, 1991 - June 30, 1994 (President)
- Michael Rao - July 1, 1994 - June 30, 1998 (Interim President and President)
- Rita Cepeda - July 1, 1998 - June 30, 1999 (Interim President)
- Lee Callaway - July 1, 1999 - July 31, 1999 (Interim President)
- Christopher C. O'Hearn - August 1, 1999 - August 31, 2002 (President)
- Steve Kinsella - September 1, 2002 - December 31, 2002 (Interim President)
- Joe Samuels - January 1, 2003 - May 31, 2003 (Interim President)
- Frank Chong - June 1, 2003 - June 30, 2006 (President)
- Harriett Robles - July 1, 2006 - April 19, 2007 (Interim President) / April 20, 2007 - June 30, 2010 (President)
- Norma Ambriz-Galaviz - July 1, 2010 - July 31, 2010 (Interim President)
- J. Laurel Jones - August 2010 - July 2013 (President)
- Daniel Peck - July 2013 - January 2022 (President)
- Norma Ambriz-Galaviz - February 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022 (Interim President)
- Danny Nguyen - July 1, 2022 - July 31, 2022 (Acting President)
- Dr. Seher Awan - August 1, 2022 - Present (President)