Empowering Students, Reshaping Futures: Dr. Minita Ramirez's Leadership at Laredo College

Every so often, you meet a leader whose passion for students and unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers in higher education is truly inspiring. Speaking with Dr. Minita Ramirez, President of Laredo College, was one of those moments. Her energy, her deep care for students, and her relentless drive to create opportunities for them made it clear — this is a leader who doesn't just talk about student success; she makes it happen.

As part of our monthly Heroes of Higher Ed series, we sat down with Dr. Ramirez to learn how her personal journey has shaped her vision for Laredo College. From her own experiences as a student to her innovative leadership approach, she's creating a campus culture where barriers are dismantled and opportunities flourish.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I have been a lifelong educator, following in the footsteps of my mother, who was a second-grade teacher and elementary school principal. My family has always been very active—my mother also ran a flower shop, my father managed a ranch, and I grew up with two siblings, one a dentist and the other in logistics. My husband is a judge, and my son works in food distribution.

Before becoming president of Laredo College, I was the Vice President for Student Success at Texas A&M International University. Over my career, I've taught high school and middle school, worked in textbook publishing, and served as a consultant. Education has always been at the forefront of the work that I've done. I've always been an advocate for education and supporting minorities in education.

Sometimes, we look at our mission in life, and most people say, 'I wanna grow up to be successful.' What does that mean? We're trying to instill in our students that it's not that it's not enough to be a person who is looking for meaning, but a person of meaning. 'What do you really believe in? What do you stand for, and what does that translate into with your everyday work?'

Over the course of my career, I've been very fortunate to work with some incredible leaders and mentors, and I feel blessed. That led me to this point because I strongly believe I'm doing my best work. I feel like I'm at the pinnacle of my career right now, and my mission of educating and supporting students in higher education is really impacting.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?

I wasn't a great student as a child. Today, we know that I have ADHD. We didn't know that back then, but my hunger for learning really came when I started my junior year in high school. I was a student at Laredo Junior College, now Laredo College. When I came here, I had great professors who saw something I had never seen in me. Over the course of my life, I dug deep into my faith, and I found my passion and my drive.

There is a responsibility that comes with the mission of the work that I do, and I don't think I found 'it,' but 'it' found me. The day I was supposed to interview for the job (at Laredo College), I didn't make it to the end to meet the Provost at the time. But I got the job, and seeing the means and the lack of support systems in place for our students, that's when I really found my true calling, and that’s what took my breath away. I said, 'This is where I'm going to end up.'

By then, I had taught middle school and high school, and I had worked in publishing and as a consultant. I had done a lot, and it was always great. But every four or five years, and I already did 10 years as a high school teacher, but you start to get the itch. I haven't gotten the itch since I started in higher education, which was in 2000, around 24 years. I am blessed, and I've met many incredible people who have helped me in this journey as President.

How have you approached challenges in your role as president of Laredo College?

When I started, I realized that the lack of technology driven decisions was caused by a lack of understanding of how to use the technology. After about three months, I made a call (to a former colleague) and said, 'This is out of my league. I know I need help. Somebody needs to come down here and help me.'

They sent someone down to do an assessment and found out how to help me to make the (college) an even better place. It's those kinds of friends that you make along the way that bring you support and joy. It's when people really come together that truly believe that we're making a difference in the future.

Can you share a moment when you felt you made a significant impact at work?

Over the years, I've been on the faculty and created a leadership minor at the university. We now have the Bachelor of Applied Science and Organizational Leadership. I'm really focused on how we develop our students to become confident enough to be leaders in their fields. I tell the students that it may not mean they're the boss, but they have a purpose in their work because of their leadership qualities, and eventually, they'll get there.

What's a moment that affirmed your commitment to education?

A dual credit student came into my office, and she said, "I'm going to be you some day. I'm going to come run this school."

What does student success mean to you?

We always hear you have to be a little uncomfortable to get to that comfort zone. That’s true, but for many of our students that uncomfortableness is all they've ever known and all they've ever lived. It's up to us to build the spaces on our campuses where they feel safe — where they're not hungry and can study, work, and play.

Student success is preparing the individual with all the skill sets they will need. My definition of success is preparedness — the lighting with opportunities. If I can prepare the students, when that opportunity hits them, that explosion of success will come to them.

How do you innovate teaching strategies when students are facing personal challenges at home?

When I was teaching, I asked the principal how he wanted me to teach World War II when World War III was going on at home. He looked at me and said, "You're smart. Figure it out." So, I did.

At the time, the students had to know all the names of all the presidents in order because that was a requirement of the state of Texas. I stapled the pictures and names of the presidents across the ceiling. When students sat back in their chairs, the only thing they looked at was a president flying above them. They were going to know at least two or three presidents. I had to find these alternatives — different ways to get them to learn. I think that’s been the fun of being an educator.

The challenge is the same as the opportunity in our mission. When you convert that challenge into an opportunity to provide students with alternatives for learning and also a sense of security. One of our students' biggest concerns today is feeling safe. How do we create an environment so that students feel safe?

The beauty of my position is that my students are not traditional. While we have a segment of our population that is a traditional student, we have a huge segment that is not. I have a student named Jack (an older student), he’s a tutor on our campus and the younger students look up to him for support. He has really found a home here and he's an incredible teacher.

What do you think makes Laredo College special?

We're a family. We look out for each other when times are really tough, we help and support each other. When the Texas freeze hit in the winter of 2021, our team really came together. We were already receiving messages early in the morning from staff saying they were on-site helping out, even though they had their own families to worry about. We opened up the gym as a warm space for students and staff, and even cooked outside to ensure everyone had food and shelter. It's a team effort; we truly support one another, and I think being a woman in leadership brings a level of nurture that helps create a caring environment. People know they can trust me, and that we're doing everything to help them, even when it's tough.

I believe showing vulnerability and kindness in leadership makes a big difference. It sets the tone for the entire team. My goal is to be genuine, to support people, and to do what's right for the college, even when it's the hardest thing to do. This has created an environment where people feel valued and trust me to lead with their best interests at heart.

How is Laredo College helping students succeed?

We've implemented a lot of changes, like shifting from 16-week to 8-week and 4-week class schedules to help students balance work and studies. We provide food for full-time students and ensure no one has to worry about textbook costs. We've even secured funding for a construction management program. It's all about removing barriers so students can focus on their education and career goals, whether that's transitioning to a four-year college or stepping into the workforce.

We tried to take off the table the three main barriers that preclude people from higher education. The feeling that 'I can't afford this,' 'I don't know that I can do this,' or 'I don't have family support at home.' We support it and we are the family to them. This is our mission and we're going to make sure students come in, stay in, graduate and find their place after they graduate.