Dana Mohler-Faria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dana Mohler-Faria
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Mohler-Faria in 2008
|
|
| President of Bridgewater State University | |
| In office 2002–2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Adrian Tinsley |
| Succeeded by | Frederick W. Clark |
| Massachusetts Special Advisor for Education | |
| In office January 4, 2007 – March 11, 2008 |
|
| Governor | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Education | Cape Cod Community College (associate) Boston University (BA, MA) University of Massachusetts Amherst (Ed.D.) |
Dana Mohler-Faria was an important leader in education. He served as the eleventh president of Bridgewater State University from 2002 until he retired in 2015. He was also a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Before that, he was a special advisor for education to the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick. This role was created before a special Secretary of Education position was made in 2008.
Contents
About Dana Mohler-Faria
His Education Journey
Dana Mohler-Faria studied at several colleges. He earned an Associate's degree from Cape Cod Community College. Later, he received a bachelor’s degree and a Master's degree in history from Boston University. He also earned a Doctor of Education degree in higher education administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This shows he loved learning and teaching.
Military Service and Family Life
Mohler-Faria served in the United States Air Force. He was in the Air Force from 1966 to 1970. Today, he lives with his wife and son in Mashpee, Massachusetts.
His Career in Education
Early Roles in Colleges
Dana Mohler-Faria began his career in education in 1975. He worked at Cape Cod Community College as the Director of Financial Aid. He helped students get money for college. After that, he worked at Bristol Community College until 1987. He then held different leadership jobs at Mount Wachusett Community College until 1991.
Leading Bridgewater State University
In 1991, Mohler-Faria joined Bridgewater State College. He spent eleven years as the Vice President for Administration and Finance. In 2002, he became the president of Bridgewater State College. He took over from Adrian Tinsley. He retired from this role at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.
Important Achievements
When Dana Mohler-Faria became president of Bridgewater State University, it was a special moment. He was the first person of color to lead Bridgewater State College. He was also only the second person of Cape Verdean descent to become president of a college in the United States. This was a big step for diversity in higher education.
Changes in State Rules
After Mohler-Faria retired, there was a discussion about his retirement payment. He followed the rules that allowed college staff to be paid for unused vacation time. However, the amount of his payment led to questions from the public. This discussion encouraged the Massachusetts Governor at the time, Charlie Baker, to suggest new laws. These laws would limit how much unused vacation time state workers could save up. This helped make rules clearer for everyone.
Current Activities
Currently, Dana Mohler-Faria is part of an advisory council. This council supports the Wampanoag Language Immersion School. This school helps teach the Wôpanâak language. It is a partnership with the Montessori Academy of Cape Cod.
