Felecia Caton-Garcia, the Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), has recently been recognized for her outstanding work in the field. On September 21, 2023, Caton-Garcia was announced as a fellow by the Hispanic Association of College and Universities (HACU). This prestigious fellowship will allow her to take part in leadership development activities and receive mentorship, among other opportunities.
In addition to the HACU fellowship, Caton-Garcia has also been named a principal investigator on a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. This grant is a collaboration between CNM, the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, and various branches of the City University of New York. The project aims to harness the power of intersectional data, including race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic markers, to improve student success in STEM fields.
One of the main goals of the project is to address the issue of Hispanic and Latinx students starting STEM programs but not completing them. Many of these students report feeling like they don't belong in these fields. Over the next five years, Caton-Garcia and her partners hope to collect data and develop best practices that can be implemented at universities across the country to close these student support gaps.
As part of the HACU fellowship, Caton-Garcia will have the opportunity to build connections with other Latinx, Hispanic, and Chicano/a individuals involved in higher education. She will attend seminars and complete a CNM-focused project, including one seminar in Salamanca, Spain. Caton-Garcia is excited about the chance to learn from her peers and bring new insights back to CNM.
Felecia Caton-Garcia's recognition as a fellow by HACU and her role as a principal investigator for the NSF grant are significant achievements. CNM and Caton-Garcia are looking forward to the opportunities these accolades will bring, both for her personal growth and for the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the college.