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Dr. Naydeen González-De Jesús was recently chosen as Northern Essex Community College’s next vice president of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations.
González-De Jesús begins work later this month. She succeeds Noemi Custodia-Lora, who has served since 2014 and this month becomes vice president of academic affairs and workforce development for Urban College of Boston.
“We had terrific candidates across our hiring selection process, but Dr. Naydeen González-De Jesús’s 20-plus years of experience in higher education administration combined with her mastery of international public diplomacy has been wonderfully on display across this entire process,” said Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn.
Reporting to the president, and in close collaboration with other college leaders, the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations Council and the Lawrence Partnership, the vice president plays. What was described as, “a crucial role in fostering student success, cultivating a vibrant campus community and developing strong strategic partnerships.”
González-De Jesús said, “The work ahead is deeply personal to me—having been a first-generation college graduate, I understand the power of education to transform lives. I look forward to building stronger connections within the Lawrence community and beyond, and to collaborating with local and international partners that will serve as catalysts to launch innovative solutions that not only elevate educational outcomes but also foster workforce development and economic growth throughout the Merrimack Valley and beyond.”
González-De Jesús is an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and a National Community College Hispanic Council Fellow.
Previously, she served at San Antonio College as its 13th president, making her the first woman president in a quarter century and only the second to hold the office since the college’s founding in 1925. Gonzalez-De Jesus also previously served as the public diplomacy officer for the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, dedicating her time to impacting the lives of students from the U.S. and abroad by creating connections and platforms for student success and faculty-led research.
Her previous roles include serving as vice president of student affairs for Bergen Community College in New Jersey; associate dean, academic advising, and working with special populations at Rowan College at Burlington County in New Jersey; and as assistant dean of student services and founding member and director of the Center for Student Success at Salem Community College in New Jersey.
While at Bergen, Gonzalez-De Jesus led Project Graduation, an initiative that was nationally highlighted through the American Association of Community College’s 21st Century Center, which also received several Bellwether Award nominations for its ability to help students complete their college education, thus moving the needle on student success with a focus on equity.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State University, a master’s degree in student personnel services from Rowan University, and a doctorate from Northcentral University in industrial/organizational psychology.