The Rancho Santiago Community College District has named Marvin Martinez as its new chancellor.
Following an extensive national search, the board of trustees selected Martinez to head the 52,000-student district that includes Santa Ana College and Rancho Santiago Canyon College. Martinez is succeeding Dr. Raul Rodriguez, who announced his retirement in late 2018 after serving more than three decades in community colleges, including nine years at RSCCD.
“Given his 30 years of community college experience which includes the last 10 years as president of East Los Angeles College and president of Los Angeles Harbor College, as well as his recent successful term as 2018-2019 board president of the Chief Executive Officers for California Community Colleges, we are confident that Mr. Martinez possesses the broad community college leadership, experience and vision to take RSCCD to the next level,” said Board of Trustees President Phillip E. Yarbrough.
Under Martinez’s most recent post as president of East Los Angeles College, the college was ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 1 in California for community college degrees and certificates granted to Hispanic students in 2017, according to Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine. Prior to serving East Los Angeles College, Martinez served as president of Los Angeles Harbor College, where he was responsible for $444 million in bond construction, balancing the college budget in his first year as president, and making significant gains in student success.
A native of El Salvador, Martinez immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, and later moved to Long Beach, California, where he graduated from Wilson High School. He holds a master’s degree in Urban Planning and a bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA.
“I am pleased by the Board of Trustees’ decision,” said retired Chancellor Raul Rodriguez. “Mr. Martinez’s authentic approach to leadership, his proven track record of achieving institutional goals, and his advocacy for community support of the institution will serve our diverse student population, our valued employees and the district’s communities very well.”
As Chancellor, Martinez will also maintain oversight of the district’s Centennial and Orange Continuing Education Centers, the Digital Media Center, the Orange County Regional Fire Training Center, the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy and the district operations center.
“I am honored and humbled to serve as the new chancellor of the Rancho Santiago Community College District,” Martinez said. “It is an opportunity of a lifetime to serve the students and work with the faculty and staff of a dynamic district that is a leader in transforming lives and helping all achieve their dreams.”