Ricardo Maestas, PhD has over 35 years of experience in developing recruitment and retention programs focused primarily at minority students and over 26 years in academic administration. He has an extensive track record in fund-raising, including grant, contract and private resource development. He has raised in excess of $70M during his career.
Dr. Maestas is currently Special Assistant to the Chancellor of the Texas State University System. Prior to this, he was President of Sul Ross State University and currently serves on the faculty as full professor with tenure. He has served as vice president for student and university relations and dean of students at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
He received a B.A. in psychology and Spanish and Master of Arts in teaching from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; and a Ph.D. from the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan.
As vice president for student and university relations at New Mexico Tech, Dr. Maestas was responsible for directing and coordinating activities directly related to student recruitment and retention, admissions, financial aid, first-year experience, minority and international programs, advising and counseling, student and residential life, auxiliary services, career placement and fundraising.
Dr. Maestas has a number of publications and research presentations to his credit. His research has focused on what pre-college and college variables predict third semester and fifth semester retention of undergraduate students. His primary emphasis on what variables predict success of Hispanic students in higher education institutions.
Dr. Maestas has published several scholarly articles in peer reviewed academic journals along with his dissertation and has submitted his another article for publication. Besides third semester retention of college students, his publications have focused on how student diversity impacted the campus climate in one university.
Dr. Maestas has been active in national societies and associations of higher education, maintaining professional affiliations with various panels, foundations, and boards of directors, particularly with organizations focused on Hispanic and Latino issues and concerns in higher education.
Dr. Maestas is currently a member of the prestigious Philosophical Society of Texas. He is also member of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He is a past member of the American Society of Engineering Education, the American Association of Higher Education, the Hispanic Caucus, American Association of Higher Education, and Golden Key Honorary Society.
