For Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, education is a lifelong calling. Despite other opportunities available to him, he decided to pursue a degree in mathematics secondary education. He returned in 1996 to Coolidge High School in Coolidge, Arizona — the school he graduated from a few years earlier — to serve as a math teacher. The rest is history. Gonzales’ passion for education has culminated in a swift rise to being named chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) last September. The district comprises 10 independently accredited colleges in Arizona serving over 94,000 students.
In recognition of his commitment to inclusive excellence, servant leadership, and his devotion to lifting up the disenfranchised in the community college space, Gonzales has been named a 2023 recipient of the Diverse Champions Award.
A passion for education
Dr. Steven R. Gonzales (center), chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District, is credited as being a leader who listens to and incorporates multiple perspectives before arriving at decisions.
Gonzales said education “was something that I realized quickly that I felt like I was born to do in many ways. I just really like being around students, especially the extracurricular part of education.”
After two years at Coolidge, Gonzales went on to teach at Central Arizona College, where he spent 15 years rising through the ranks to become interim associate vice president of academic affairs. Gonzales said he did not necessarily aspire to be a higher ed administrator at that point, but it became a natural extension of his core passion for education.
