Texas A&M-San Antonio welcomes new president - La Prensa De ...

4 LA PRENSA DE SAN ANTONIO 29 de septiembre de 2010
Dr. Ferrier... (Continued
from page 3)
The Honorable Regent Gene
Stallings echoed that sentiment
in his keynote speech at the inauguration
Tuesday.
“Everyone has a definition for
leadership, but, I think it means
getting someone to do something
they don’t want to do, but that
will benefit the entire organization.
Dr. Ferrier embodies that
ideal,” said Stallings.
A native of San Antonio’s
West Side, Ferrier returned to
school to earn her undergraduate
degree at 30, with the help
and inspiration of her mentor
and employer at the time, Carol
Tuell.
Ferrier earned minimum wage
as a teacher’s aide while managing
her personal life as the
single parent of two children.
With Tuell’s encouragement, she
enrolled at San Antonio College
and ultimately earned a Bachelor
of Arts in speech and a Master
of Education in guidance and
counseling from Our Lady of
the Lake.
“I never viewed college as an
option,” said Ferrier. “I grew up
in a very loving home, however,
we never spoke of attending
college, and it just never really
came up.”
Education proved to be exhilarating
and sustaining to Ferrier.
She persisted and earned
a doctorate in educational administration
from Texas A&M
University.
Her hard work culminated
in several appointments at the
national level. In 2002, President
George W. Bush named
Ferrier director of the Office
of English Language Acquisition,
Language Enhancement
and Academic Achievement
for Limited English Proficient
Students at the US Department
of Education. During her tenure
at the Dept of Ed, she rose to
deputy undersecretary and then
to assistant deputy secretary,
serving as the principal advisor
to the Secretary of Education on
all matters pertaining to students
of limited English proficiency
and Hispanics in general.
Ferrier serves on the Hispanic-
Serving Institutions Advisory
Council for Hispanic Association
of Colleges and Universities
(HACU), a group of college and
university presidents committed
to furthering the interests of
Hispanic serving institutions.
She also serves on the Southwest
Independent School District
Foundation Board of Directors,
Lackland Air Force Base Joint
Land Use Study (JLUS) Executive
& Advisory Committee,
KLRN-TV Public Broadcasting
System Board of Directors,
and The Greater San Antonio
Chamber of Commerce Board
of Directors.
Her reputation and dedication
to education gets high marks
from all those who work with
her, including her new employers.
“Dr. Ferrier is an accomplished
and dynamic leader,
committed to the students, faculty
and staff of this university.
As its first president, she will
enhance the excellence in education
and continue the growth of
enrollment to achieve our goal
of 25,000 students by 2025,”
said Chancellor Michael D.
McKinney.
Ferrier’s vision includes
working closely with city and
regional leaders to ensure that
A&M-San Antonio will be a
premier institution, which is also
accessible and inclusive, and
boasts a top-rate faculty.
“We will continue to encourage
San Antonio students to take
advantage of our local colleges
and to develop academic programs
that are innovative and
relevant to today’s business,
technology and educational
needs,” said Ferrier.