Many of you already know him and know of his dedication to the center since he previously served as Academic and Administrative Director of the Institute and has helped raise almost $6 million to support programs since 2016.
José has been crucial in building the academic, financial, and social support programs the Mexican Studies Institute offers. We look forward to watching CUNY MSI grow under his leadership, continuing to help tens of thousands of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in New York City and across the country while becoming a national leader in Mexican and Mexican-American research.
He has been instrumental in launching several programs run by the Institute and in collaboration with partners across the city. Among them are the New York City International Book Fair (FIL Ciudad de Nueva York) which will host its fifth annual event in September and a sub-collection of stories in the New York Public Library’s Pandemic Diaries Project which will focus on individuals with Latin American heritage.
CUNY MSI also supports thousands of students through The Mexican Studies Scholarship Fund and reaches many more with The Educational Opportunities Initiative, a program that guides students through the education process, from toddlers through college and graduate school.
I know that Director Higuera López will work hard to raise awareness of the Institute’s work and build collaborations that will benefit whole communities.
He plans to accelerate academic success for students through internships and by bringing visiting Fulbright Scholars to campus, so future and current students can see first-hand, what their future can hold.
Higuera López immigrated to the U.S. in 2009. He was born in Tijuana, México, holds a BA in English Language Teaching from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, an MA in Education from Universidad Autónoma de Durango, and a PhD in Educational Management and Policy from Universidad de Baja California. In 2006, he was granted a Fulbright-García Robles Scholarship at the University of Arkansas and is a member of the Fulbright Association.
Please join me in congratulating José on his new role and make sure to learn more about CUNY MSI on their website and by following on social media.
