January 28, 2021
Las Vegas, N.M. – Adrian Sandoval is the new director for the Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations (CESDP) at New Mexico Highlands University.
Founded in 1993, CESDP is an educational diversity center that provides professional learning for teachers, students, administrators and families.
“Our mission at the Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations is to support communities to improve the quality of education for students, families, educators and community members,” Sandoval said. “We nurture partnerships with like-minded organizations, school districts throughout the region and our state educational agency.”
Sandoval said the work of CESDP influences the health and well-being of families and educators with the ultimate goal of ensuring clear and healthy pathways to learning and achieving in school and society.
“My primary goal as the new director at CESDP is to see us focus more on strengthening our family, school and community partnerships in New Mexico,” Sandoval said. “We have assisted the New Mexico Public Education Department in creating a parent toolkit and now is the time to become an active partner in supporting this important effort to create healthy communities that are equitably inclusive of the family, student and educator voice.”
Sandoval said the Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations will continue to support its existing programs that create pathways for individuals to become teachers, leaders and administrators in New Mexico.
Previously, Sandoval worked in positions focused on bilingual education such as the Interim Bilingual/Title III director for Bernalillo Public Schools, professional development coordinator for Dual Language of New Mexico, bilingual education administrator for the New Mexico Public Education Department, and Bilingual/ESL coordinator in Polk Middle School in Albuquerque. In addition, Sandoval worked previously at Highlands as an associate and then assistant director for CESDP.
“I have a passion for dual language development and academic learning through more than one language. Community building is a critical component of high-quality bilingual education,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval earned his M.A. at Highlands in educational leadership. He is on track to complete a doctorate in higher education from the University of North Dakota in 2022. Sandoval has licensure in education administration in pre-K to 12 as well as licensure in secondary education with endorsements in social studies, bilingual and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.)
Sandoval, a Las Vegas, New Mexico native, serves on the President’s Council for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Highlands.
“Any work like this council does that makes a deliberate effort to collaborate with and support historically marginalized communities is ‘good work,’ in particular when it is intended to change systemic and institutionalized behaviors while building the capacity of us all as professionals and human beings,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval said Highlands is a unique institution of learning that contributed to his success personally and professionally.
“I have had the privilege of being a student and staff member at Highlands. In each case, I felt embraced, as if I was a member of a family, and welcomed to a classroom and work culture that acted with integrity and a mission of supporting human beings to become the future leaders of communities,” Sandoval said.