SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE NAMES NEW PRESIDENT
San Diego Mesa College named Ashanti Hands as its next president.
Hands has been Mesa College’s vice president for student services since 2016 and has also served as the college’s student affairs dean and acting dean of student development and matriculation. Before joining Mesa College in 2008, she was dean of student affairs at UC San Diego.
Hands will succeed current President Pam Luster, who is retiring at the end of June.
“Dr. Hands is exactly the type of dynamic leader needed to take Mesa College to the next level of community engagement and success,” San Diego Community College District Chancellor Carlos O. Cortez said. “With her familiarity with the district and college, she will be able to help Mesa accomplish its student-focused, equity-minded mission.”
Hands has a doctorate of education in educational leadership and a master’s of arts in education from SDSU.
Mesa College, a Hispanic Serving Institution, serves about 30,000 students a year and has 200 associate degree and certificate programs. It’s also one of a limited number
of California community colleges that offers a fouryear baccalaureate degree.
“I am humbled to be selected for the presidency of the very college I have called home for more than 14 years,” Hands said in a statement. “The ability to live my purpose of creating conditions that matter for students to succeed at a college so deeply committed to equity and excellence brings me immense joy. I am excited to continue the great work we have started at Mesa College and look forward to the bold, courageous, equity-minded ways we will show up for our students, each other, our district and community.”
The college district board is expected to approve a contract for Hands at its June 9 meeting. She will begin her new job July 1.