HCC Names Assistant VP to Oversee Student Success Programs

HOLYOKE ­— Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently named William Reyes-Cubides as assistant vice president of Academic Affairs and Student Success.

In this new position, Reyes-Cubides will serve as a bridge between both sides of the Academic and Student Affairs division to ensure that students receive the support they need to achieve academic success.

“I am genuinely thrilled to join this vibrant community. The culture at Holyoke Community College is remarkable, and what I have observed so far is incredibly inspiring,” said Reyes- Cubides, who recently moved to Western Mass. from San Jose, Calif., where he was dean of Humanities, Social Science, and Arts at San Jose City College. “It is clear to me that everyone here is deeply committed to student success and passionately invested in their academic journeys.”

At San Jose, Reyes-Cubides’ experience included curriculum development, resource allocation, personnel supervision, community relations and outreach, and student success initiatives. He previously worked as the dean of Arts and Humanities at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical School and an academic specialist of Curriculum Development and coordinator of Language Instruction at Michigan State University.

At HCC, he will oversee student support programs, including El Centro (for Latinx students), ALANA (for men of color), TRIO (for first-generation, low-income students), the Office for Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services, the Center for Academic Program Supports (tutoring centers), academic English as a Second Language, and SAMP, HCC’s Student Ambassador Mentorship Program. He started July 8.

“The core mission of this position is to ensure student retention, persistence from one semester to the next, and, ultimately, graduation,” he said. “My priority is to foster positive and meaningful student learning experiences. By acknowledging and valuing the cultural wealth and backgrounds that our students bring into the classroom, we create the perfect environment for academic success. Additionally, cultivating a strong sense of belonging for our students is essential to their overall well-being and success.”

The son of a teacher, Reyes-Cubides was born and raised in Colombia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education, Spanish, and English studies from the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá, and a master’s degree in Romance languages and Hispanic studies from Boston College. He is pursuing his doctorate in education in leadership for equity in higher education from the University of Colorado-Denver.