David Fuentes, associate dean and professor of teacher education at William Paterson University's School of Education in Wayne, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Mildred Garcia Founder's Award, presented by the American Hispanic Higher Education Association.
The award, named for Dr. Mildred Garcia, former president of the American Association of State Universities, recognizes exemplary efforts to advance higher education access and success for Latinos.
Fuentes examines the experiences of educators, including those of educators of color in K-12 schools and higher education settings. His current research focuses on understanding equity issues related to high-needs school communities and the functions, purposes, and outcomes of public education.
“Dr. Fuentes’ work is directly rooted in his commitment to promoting access and success for Latinos at William Paterson University, not just for working-age college students, but from kindergarten through college and beyond.” “This will also be done by focusing on recruiting and retaining our future students and encouraging Latinx teachers to educate future generations,” said Richard Heldobler, president of William Paterson University. “Throughout his 10 years of service at our facility, he left an indelible mark on our community, and we are thrilled that he has received this award.”
Fuentes was appointed associate dean of the William Paterson College of Education in 2022. He joined the university's faculty in his 2012 year. Prior to entering the university, he served as an English language learner teacher and English language learner writing instructor in elementary and high schools in Massachusetts. He received his PhD from the University of Puerto Rico and is a graduate teaching assistant at Pennsylvania State University.
During his tenure at William Paterson, Mr. Fuentes has led numerous initiatives. For four years he served as project director for a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Education Augustus F. Hawkins Center of Excellence grant focused on increasing the diversity of New Jersey's teacher workforce. Masu. Through this grant, William Patterson will recruit students from underrepresented populations as teacher candidates, provide them with intensive and individualized academic support, and earn professional certifications, licensure, and clinical experience. It provides a flexible and comprehensive pathway for students to connect with paid employment through alternative education and paraprofessional roles and mentoring. He partners with five high-need school districts: Bloomfield, Clifton, Haledon/Manchester, Passaic and Paterson, and receives support from resident mentors within the district.
He also helped launch the College of Education's Aspiring Educators Program. The program seeks to diversify the state's teaching staff through partnerships with high school students from underrepresented backgrounds – juniors and seniors interested in and growing in teaching as a career.