Sunday, June 30, 2024

Dr. Macario Hernandez Appointed President of Dallas College Mountain View Campus

Friends, 

My heart is full.

Dr. Macario Hernandez, my former student and mentee, just made a major career leap as Dallas College Mountain View Campus president. He reached out to me Saturday evening to give me this amazing news. 

I have blogged about him as an Ethnic Studies advocate and a successful high school principal, winning Blue Ribbon Status by the U.S. Department of Education at Dallas ISD's Trini Garza Early College High School located in Oak Cliff, Dallas. The magic of President Hernandez' ascendancy is that he will continue to serve his community, but now as president. "Grow your own," he happily expressed to me over the phone. "Yes, organic, like we've always said. Organic is best," I responded.

Grow Your Own is a concept advanced by the National Latina/o Education Research and Policy Project (NLERAPP) which is a consortium in several states that are embarked in creating pathways into higher education for teachers and administrators with the idea of graduates returning to their communities where they can "give back" to them by being critically conscious educators. Macario is the literal embodiment of this ideal that we advance. 

I honestly couldn't be more happy or proud. I know in my bones that Macario is going to make a massive difference in the lives of so many young people in Dallas. I can't wait to celebrate with him and look forward to witnessing an unfolding of so much possibility for our youth.

Glad to see Dr. Burillo-Hopkins appointed President of Dallas College, as well. I don't know her, but I'm sure she's amazing. Dallas is making great strides in advancing these Latino and Latina leaders to top posts.

-Angela Valenzuela


Dallas College Appoints Two New Presidents

Dr. Macario Hernandez

Media Contact: Debra Dennis; DDennis@DallasCollege.edu

For immediate release — June 24, 2024

(DALLAS) — Two highly accomplished education leaders have joined the ranks of Dallas College as the school’s newest presidents of its Brookhaven and Mountain View campuses.

Dr. Macario Hernandez, an education administrator for 25 years, will lead Mountain View Campus in southwestern Dallas County, and Dr. Madeline Burillo-Hopkins will lead Brookhaven Campus in Farmers Branch.

Both appointments were made by Dr. Justin Lonon, Dallas College chancellor.

Dr. Hernandez, who was raised in Oak Cliff, has a long history with Dallas College, where he received an associate degree in 1996. He was also honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019.

Dr. Hernandez was a Dallas ISD principal for 23 years, including at Trinidad “Trini” Garza Early College High School on the Mountain View Campus. Under his leadership, the school earned recognition as a National Title I Distinguished School in 2018 and received a National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education in 2021.

Known as a public education advocate, Dr. Hernandez will lead Mountain View’s campus culture and local business community engagement and advancement. Among his other duties, he will work with industry partners and business leaders to develop and expand workforce opportunities in Dallas’ southern sector.

He is a graduate of the University of North Texas and holds a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Dr. Hernandez comes to Dallas College from the University of North Texas at Dallas, where he served as chief of staff.

“Given his background, connection to the community and affinity for Mountain View, I am excited for the future and look forward to supporting Dr. Hernandez in his new role,” Dr. Lonon said.

Dr. Burillo-Hopkins comes to Dallas College from Houston Community College, where she served as vice chancellor for workforce instruction and was instrumental in securing federal and state workforce grants. She led efforts in credit and continuing education and developed workforce partnerships as well as prior learning assessment. She is noted for her efforts to raise private sector funds for student support and instructional programs.

In 2021, Dr. Burillo-Hopkins earned the Hispanic Women in Leadership Award for outstanding

service in education. Two years later, Houston Community College honored her with the Chancellor’s Medallion for Outstanding Service. In 2010, she was an HCC (Houston Community College) Eagle Award recipient for Administrative Leadership. D’Mars Magazine selected her as one of Houston’s Top 30 Influential Women.

In addition to being a champion for Brookhaven’s campus culture, Dr. Burillo-Hopkins will oversee and help improve workforce training pathways to meet the demands of employers and students. She has degrees from Sam Houston State, University of California at Berkeley and the University of Puerto Rico. She received a doctorate in education from Sam Houston State.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Burillo-Hopkins join Dallas College. Her extensive experience working with community colleges will undoubtedly serve us well as we navigate the evolving landscape of higher education in Texas and beyond,” Dr. Lonon said.

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