Dr. Manuel T. Pacheco’s path to U.S. higher education leader could be considered “nontraditional.” He was the son of migrant farm workers, became the first in his family to attend college, graduated from a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and earned a Fulbright U.S. Student award to France.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. García was raised in Brooklyn, New York, by parents who migrated from Puerto Rico to work in factories and provide a better life for their family. They emphasized the importance of education, telling Dr. García and her four siblings, “the only inheritance a poor family can leave you is a good education.” These words have shaped her life.
As an HBCU scholarship recipient at Dillard University in New Orleans and as the first African American president of an Ivy League university, Dr. Ruth J. Simmons’ educational journey has been long and varied. The common thread in a career of many firsts? A life-long passion for cross-cultural understanding and showcasing Black excellence in academia.