QCC Trustees Pick New President

Quinsigamond Community College Board of Trustees has named Dr. Luis Pedraja as its pick to succeed President Dr. Gail Carberry when she retires at the end of the school year.

Dr. Pedraja’s nomination now must be approved by the state Board of Higher Education, which is scheduled to vote on his appointment in May.

Dr. Pedraja visited the West Boylston Street campus as part of the interview process in March.

“I am deeply honored to have been chosen as Quinsigamond’s next president,” he said. “(My wife) Leigh and I truly enjoyed the warm welcome we received during our visit and are excited to join such a wonderful college and community.”

As a child, Dr. Pedraja emigrated from Cuba and grew up in a low-income Miami neighborhood. He became the first in his family to attend college; and he later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Currently, Dr. Pedraja serves as Interim Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for California’s 35,000-student Peralta Community College District, where he leads faculty, staff, and administrators to develop innovative programs and ensure student success. The district includes four colleges.

From 2011-2016, Dr. Pedraja was Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Antioch University Los Angeles, a non-profit institution serving adult students with bachelor degree completion and professional graduate programs. His career has also included teaching stints at the University of Puget Sound and Southern Methodist University.

“During my visit, I could tell that Quinsigamond’s faculty and staff share my commitment to helping students succeed. I am confident that through our efforts we can continue to serve our community with distinction; and that we can achieve national recognition as a leader in ensuring student success for all our students, specifically first-generation and low-income students.”

Learn more about the presidential search and Dr. Pedraja’s qualifications on the Presidential Search page.