By: Sydney Franklin Photo by: Lindsey Campbell
Ernesto Villarreal, director of diversity services announced his resignation Tuesday, but did so just in time he says.
“I think it’s a great time for me to be able to hang my hat on the work we’ve done here,” he said. “We really accelerated the diversity process I was envisioning when I began.”
Villarreal started his work at Milligan in June 2010 with a goal of bringing more cultures to campus.
I’m very proud to have been associated with a school that has been so motivated to embrace various cultures here,” said Villarreal. “We are now at a solid point.”
The 27-year-old native of Brownsville, Texas and his wife Lotefa, will be leaving Milligan at the end of the semester to pursue other career options.
“What most people don’t realize is that I’m pretty young,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of goals professionally and personally.”
Villarreal is looking for other positions across the country in student affairs while his wife is hoping to start medical school for psychiatry in the fall of 2014. Their location will be dependent upon where she attends.
Villarreal broke the news to the Goah scholars in a surprise meeting Monday night.
“I know it caught a lot of them off guard,” he said. “But they know my cell won’t change and email stays the same.”
Goah President Shirisma Shavers spoke for the group.
“I was saddened by the news,but also excited for their future plans,” she said. “Both of them have grown to be loved by the Goah and Milligan family and will be missed on this campus, but I know they will make a great impact wherever they go.”
Villarreal’s predecessor, Nathaniel Moultrie, stepped down after serving three years, the same amount of time Villarreal has committed to the college.
But Villarreal isn’t worried about the legacy of the Goah Scholars program. He is confident Milligan will continue to become more diverse and that a new director will be chosen accordingly.
“They [the administration] realize diversity at Milligan is much more than just one man,” he said.
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