EDI Director Javier Cervantes Completes NCCHC Fellows Program

Javier Cervantes

Javier Cervantes, director of the Department of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Linn-Benton Community College, has received a certification of completion from the National Community College Hispanic Council Leadership Fellows Program.

Cervantes, of Albany, works to prepare students, staff, faculty and local communities to live in an increasingly diverse society and workforce, and works on issues of equity, cultural fluency, capacity and competency, and increasing access and retention of underrepresented and diverse populations at the college level.

“I am pleased to bring back a greater knowledge of how national issues in community colleges across America are really localized for LBCC,” said Cervantes.

One in five K-8 students in the LBCC service district are Latino, noted Cervantes, and statistics show a greater stratification in achievement gaps for Latino students in colleges’ both nationally and locally.

Cervantes also noted that our demographic is changing and becoming increasingly Latino, and that many of the issues that Oregon and LBCC are encountering parallel national trends.

“LBCC is working to become a ‘college of choice’ for Latinos,” said Cervantes. “My Fellows designation expands where and who we can call upon for best practices on these complex issues, and gives me access to a network of people who have been tackling this work head-on and getting results.”

Established more than 20 years ago by the University of San Diego, the 10-day NCCHC Fellows Program provides training, preparation and support of Hispanic leaders in America's community colleges, providing an opportunity to continue in their professional growth.

Cervantes also serves as the co-chair of the Inclusion and Diversity Consortium of Oregon Community Colleges, and was recently appointed chair of the Albany Human Relations Commission.

Cervantes has an associate’s degree from East Los Angeles College, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon, a master’s degree from Portland State University, and has substantial credit toward his doctorate degree in Community College Leadership from Oregon State University.