Dr. William Serrata - EPCC President

Biography

William Serrata has served as president of the El Paso County Community College District since 2012. Under his leadership, the college has experienced significant growth in dual credit and early college high school enrollment and has made notable gains in student retention and graduation rates—particularly among first-generation and Hispanic students.

In 2015, the college was selected as one of 10 national finalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, chosen from nearly 1,200 institutions. The following year, it received the American Association of Community Colleges’ Student Success Award and was named the Western Regional Equity Award winner by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). In 2023, the college celebrated a major milestone: its 100,000th graduate—with over 52% of all degrees and certificates awarded since 2012.

Serrata is an active member of the El Paso community, currently serving as board chair of the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence. He also serves on the boards of several local organizations, including the Region 19 Advisory Committee, Community en Acción, and the American Council on Education.

At the state level, Serrata chairs the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC), serves on its Legislative Committee, and co-chairs the TACC Business Advisory Council. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Humanities Texas. His previous roles include chairing the Texas Student Success Council (convened by Educate Texas) and participating in the Western Governors University Texas Advisory Committee.

Nationally, Serrata serves on the advisory board of the Higher Education Research and Development Institute and is a member of the boards for the National Student Clearinghouse, the Lumina Foundation, Ferris State University, and the Global Community College Leadership Network. He has also held national leadership roles as board chair of both the American Association of Community Colleges and Excelencia in Education.