Arizona Western College District Governing Board Chair Dennis Booth has just announced that Dr. Reetika Dhawan has been selected to serve as the college's 10th president.
"It is with great pleasure that I send this note," he wrote in an email addressed to the AWC campus community. "Your elected Board takes this responsibility very seriously and is grateful to have a candidate of Dr. Dhawan's exceptional capabilities ready to serve.
"In the 18 years Dr. Dhawan has been at AWC, she has made a transformative impact on the institution, serving our students and community with contagious passion and a commitment to innovation and equity. The Board is confident she will steer AWC into the future with vision and purpose."
In his communication, Booth shared Dhawan's response:
“Today, I stand truly humbled and deeply grateful. Being entrusted to serve as the 10th President of Arizona Western College is one of the greatest honors of my life. This community has lifted me, taught me, and embraced me from the moment I arrived and I will spend every day giving that love back.
"Thank you to our Board for your trust, to Dr. Daniel Corr for your mentorship, and to my incredible colleagues for believing in me. I will work tirelessly, shoulder to shoulder with all of you, to ensure our students and families receive every opportunity they deserve. Yuma has limitless potential, and together, we will continue building a future full of hope, innovation, and possibility. My heart is full. Let’s get to work together.”
Prior to this announcement, the board held four candidate forums and a formal interview with Dhawan.
In her forum presentation, Dhawan shared that her journey in the U.S. began in 2007 when she became a physics and math teacher at Parker High School. The next year, she became an adjunct math and physics instructor.
For more than a decade, Dhawan taught math and physics courses. She eventually became co-chair for math and engineering and then in 2017, dean of career and technical education (CTE).
Later, Dhawan would go on to become associate vice president and then vice president of workforce development and CTE. Today she is also CEO of AWC's Entrepreneurial College.
"In her current role as CEO of the Entrepreneurial College and Vice President of Workforce and Healthcare Programs, Dr. Dhawan has expanded AWC’s reach through new programs, partnerships, and transformative grants," Booth wrote. "At her core, she remains an educator who values the art of teaching and the shared commitment of faculty and staff who make AWC’s mission possible."
Current president Dr. Daniel Corr is expected to retire by July 2026. A celebration of Dhawan's presidency will be held sometime early in the Fall 2026 semester. Details will be forthcoming.
Reporting for this article is supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation.
Note: Arizona Western College is KAWC's license holder.
