Sociologist Joins Hispanic Leadership Academy

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Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra, professor of sociology in the UC San Diego School of Social Sciences, has been chosen for the 2024-25 cohort of the Hispanic Association of College and Universities (HACU)’s Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo. The HACU program emphasizes diverse leadership and, by preparing fellows for executive and senior-level positions, aims to increase Hispanic representation in college and university administrations. The university covered the registration fee to make this opportunity accessible to all interested candidates.

The year-long fellowship will allow Pardo-Guerra to gain expertise to better support UC San Diego’s journey towards becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Fellows are mentored by current and emeriti university presidents and develop personalized impact projects to implement at their home institutions.

“Building the future we collectively aspire to requires practical knowledge of the challenges and opportunities faced by higher education as well as a commitment to fully participate in our institutions' lives,” said Pardo-Guerra.

UC San Diego is an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, as 24 percent of its enrolled full-time undergraduate students identify as Latinx as of fall 2023. The university’s commitment to serving its Latinx and Hispanic students is evident in a variety of ways. Through university-funded student-centered programs and centers, academic offerings focused on culture and identity, a Latinx cluster hire initiative, and bilingual outreach programs for prospective students and their families, UC San Diego is transforming the university around a changing population to reflect California's diversity and dynamic cultural heritage.

Pardo-Guerra added: “HACU's Academia de Liderazgo will provide me with the unique opportunity to both acquire knowledge from peers and experts in higher education as well as think about how we can make the most impact in our institutions and communities. I am honored by the opportunity."

Outside of sociology, Pardo-Guerra wears many hats: associate director of the Latin American Studies Program, co-founder of the Computational Social Science program, founding faculty member of the Halicioğlu Data Science Institute, and director of the International Institute.

For yet another side of Pardo-Guerra, you can watch this Comic-Con panel he participated in, "For All Mankind – Historic Fiction, Real Science," hosted by the Fleet Science Center.