Meet Dean Dr. Paul Benero, NC's new Dean of Workforce, Career & Technical Education

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

My hometown is El Paso, Texas.

 

WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL?

• Liberty University; Lynchburg, VA | Ph.D., Education and Organizational Leadership (2022)

• Texas Tech University; Lubbock, TX | M.F.A, 3D Design (2001).

• The University of Texas at El Paso; El Paso, TX | B.F.A, 3D Design (1998)

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU CAME TO NAVARRO COLLEGE

I have had the most rewarding career in higher education. In my over twenty-six years of experience, I have served as Assistant Dean of Humanities, Arts and Sciences, Director of Online Learning and Continuing Education, and Department Chair along with Associate Professor of Humanities - in addition to serving in multiple leadership positions.

 

During my tenure in higher education as an organizational leadership administrator, I have participated in discussions involving decision-making on various administrative levels in my roles with Bismarck State College, The University of Texas Permian Basin, and the Tarrant County College District. I have had the opportunity to develop curriculum and instruction in the form of specific degree plans appropriate to create successful pathways. I have planned and executed numerous initiatives involved with strategic enrollment management within colleges and universities and have consistently collaborated with colleagues across disciplines to organize events to benefit our students, both traditional and non-traditional, faculty, and the surrounding community. Serving in these various roles throughout my proud career has allowed me to help bridge the gaps in co-curricular education, specifically in the areas of accessibility, diversity, recruitment, and inclusion.   

                        

One of the main reasons that brought me to Navarro College is its reputation in serving a very specific population of students that may be considered to some degree, to be historically an under-served student population. I have had the opportunity to work with such a diverse population of students throughout my career and I feel that its important to offer educational opportunities to a learning community such as the ones in our various surrounding counties. Living in the Dallas – Fort Worth area has also given me the opportunity to have worked with so many faculty and staff from Navarro College over the years. I can honestly say that the wonderful faculty and staff within our district is yet another strong reason I chose to come work for Navarro College. The hospitality, kindness, and comradery that I have been shown in the short amount of time being here has been amazing. There is no learning community that I have worked for that is quite like it.

 

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED

• 2023 - Inductee, The Marquis of Who’s Who in American Education, 120^th Anniversary Edition.

• 2018 -Recipient, Chancellor’s Award for Student Success. Tarrant County College.

 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT IN YOUR NEW POSITION?

The most exciting thing about my new position is the opportunity to work with some programs that I have had little interaction with, in my previous experience. Prior to coming to Navarro College, I served as the Assistant Dean over the Academic Pre-nursing Program at Bismarck State College. Although I have had experience with workforce programs, I am excited to be returning to the world of workforce and working with the wonderful faculty and staff that provide such wonderful workforce education to our students. I am so proud and honored to be a member of our Bulldog community, and look forward to making any positive contributions I can in the constant pursuit of student success.

 

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

Over the past decade we have seen the devaluation of institutions of higher education. The emphasis to provide more opportunities and more effective programing is more important now than what we have seen in over a decade. Although the landscape of higher education has dramatically changed, the push to provide excellent education for our students has not. The dedication by the men and women in education as a whole, is unwavering. The occupation is a calling that is not for everyone. I believe what we do for our students is extremely admirable, and I am extremely fortunate to have been in education for as long as I have been. And, I am extremely excited for this new chapter in my life here at Navarro College.