Laredo College Director of Recruitment and Dual Enrollment Julio Reyes and Department Chair of English and Communication Rene J. Montemayor are among 56 participants selected for the fall program of Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program.
The six-month program is designed to increase the number, variety, and quality of Latinos in leadership positions at Hispanic-serving institutions and in higher education overall.
Reyes and Montemayor will undergo multiple, hour-long online sessions from November to March as the program covers academic and student affairs management, regional institutional accreditation, diversity, equity and inclusion, higher education advocacy issues, and personal interaction with professional search firm partners.
Rene Montemayor
Montemayor was one of 10 participants to receive grant funding from Capital One, which will allow him to cover the program fees. He said that he felt especially proud to have been accepted to such a prestigious program for Hispanic leaders in higher education.
“I always place myself in the team members’ position and ask, ‘Is this the way I want to be led?’ Also, it’s very important that a leader’s expectations of the team are clearly communicated from top to bottom, and therefore, from bottom to top,” Montemayor said, adding, “Being an effective listener is also a huge component of being a strong and effective leader.”
Julio Reyes
Reyes said that it is the responsibility of leaders to always improve themselves for the benefit of their teams and institution.
“As a leader, I also have the responsibility to help and develop the next director of my office that will be 10 times better than I am. I strive to remain effective over my career by continuing to read and implement new initiatives within my office to improve effectiveness and teamwork,” he said, adding, “A strong leader takes the opportunity to have their team grow and become the best version of themselves.”
