Dr. Rene
Garcia

Dr. Rene Garcia has been with ATD since 2006, working with over 30 community colleges, universities, tribal colleges, and technical colleges in Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota, New Jersey, Michigan, New Mexico, and Massachusetts, among others. He served as a mentor for the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) courses, and as resident faculty for several CCSSE institutes including the Men of Color, Engaging Latino Students, and Entering Student Success Institutes. He has consulted with the College Board, Educational Testing Services, Aspira, as well as the School of Medicine at Florida International University among other entities.

Dr. Garcia retired from Miami Dade College in 2015 after 38 years. He was full professor of psychology and statistics there. He was also the director of enrollment management for the last 15 years of his tenure with primary responsibility for coordinating the institution’s recruitment and retention efforts. Dr. Garcia was a key contributor to the development of structured pathways at Miami Dade College and the recipient of an Endowed Teaching Chair. He has extensive experience in student services, advisement, data analyses and interpretation, survey construction and predictive validity.

How has education changed your life/your family?
I arrived with my parents from Cuba in 1961. Although my father was an attorney and my mother a teacher, their first jobs in the U.S. were as a kitchen helper and a seamstress, respectively. However, they both had great respect for education. As we were struggling financially, they would tell me that I had an important job… going to school. My wife of 45 years and I have passed this on to our daughter and son, both of whom are successful professionals.