Dr. Norma Pastor, Academic Dean of Keiser University’s Latin Division, is among 50 fellows who will take part in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Leadership Academy.

The program, now celebrating its fifth cohort, is designed to increase diverse representation in executive and senior-level positions in higher education. “Our leadership academy fellows have already proven the value of the Association’s efforts to increase diverse representation within the upper echelons of higher education by assuming top positions at colleges and universities across the nation,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “Students benefit from having leaders from a wide range of backgrounds, and this fifth and largest cohort to date brings a range of professional and life experience that can meet the challenges of our multicultural institutions of higher education.”

Fellows participate in an array of leadership development activities preparing them for leadership roles in the full spectrum of institutions of higher learning, with an emphasis on Hispanic-serving institutions and Emerging HSIs.

“I am deeply honored and thrilled to be included in the HACU Leadership Academy. As an academic dean, I am committed to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and inclusivity within our institution. I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues, students, and the broader academic community to create an environment where learning thrives and where we can continue to make meaningful contributions to education and research,” said Pastor.

Dr. Pastor has always been passionate about promoting higher education and is thankful to serve the Hispanic community through her current role. Before serving as Keiser University’s Latin Division Academic Dean, Pastor contributed as an Associate Dean, a Program Director of the Bachelor of Health Service Administration, and as a faculty member. Originally from the Dominican Republic, she earned her Medical Doctor degree from Autonomous University of Santo Domingo in 2004 with a specialty in Anesthesiology from the Central Hospital of the Armed Forces in 2008. After relocating to the United States in 2012, she earned her Doctor of Health Science degree from Keiser University in 2020.

The one-year fellowship program includes webinars and three seminars. The first seminar will be held in October 2023 in conjunction with HACU’s 37th Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois. The second seminar will be held in Washington, D.C., in April 2024, at HACU’s National Capitol Forum. The third seminar will take place in Salamanca, Spain in the summer of 2024, at HACU’s International Conference.

The HACU Leadership Academy faculty consists of current and former presidents, chancellors, and senior administrators and brings over 100 years of combined experience in serving various sectors of higher education, including private/public universities, community colleges, and faith-based institutions. Mentorship with a university president or senior-level administrator is a key component, as well as the development of a special project designed to have an impact at the Fellow’s current institution.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters is in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, Keiser University currently offers more than 100 degrees from associate to the doctoral level. Keiser University is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in providing Social Mobility by U.S. News and World Report in 2023.