By: Angela Mennecke
A champion of higher education, Jorge Nieto has always been drawn to working at two-year institutions.
“The two-year college space is where I see a lot of students who look like me and who struggled like me,” he said. “And they may not know about the opportunities they have to be successful until they show up at our door. That’s why I’m here. I want to show students that they have the ability to prosper if given the right tools and supports.”
Serving as COD’s new Associate Vice President for Assessment and Student Success, Nieto says that his professional and educational success in life has been due to his strong desire to prove that underdogs can succeed and are worth championing.
Born in Mexico, Nieto moved back and forth between the United States and Mexico before living in the U.S. permanently beginning in eighth grade. He became proficient in English when he first lived in the United States, but after moving back to Mexico, his English regressed.
"It is not about me. It is about our students, everything that we do needs to focus on the success of our students and provide them the support that they need."
Jorge Nieto
“I was put in an ESL classroom, and I noticed a great difference in the education I was receiving versus what my peers were,” he said. “When I started high school, I forged my mom’s signature and waived myself out of ESL because I wanted to be like everyone else and to be given the same opportunities. It was a struggle to keep up, but I was determined and I managed to graduate from high school.”
Nieto’s parents knew little about the college process, having both only finished sixth grade, but Nieto knew he wanted to continue his education. He enrolled in a large four-year institution in Chicago, but as a first-generation college student, he felt lost in a big sea of students. He eventually transferred to a community college, College of Lake County, and that’s when he said things started to change for him.
“I felt supported and mentored at a community college,” he said. “While studying at Lake County, I was able to secure a job there as an evening clerk and it really set the course for the rest of my career. I was eventually hired full time and I worked my way through various positions which allowed me to continue my education.”
Feeling like he belonged, Nieto worked at the College of Lake County for more than 15 years in various positions from entry-level to eventually academic leadership roles. After completing an Associate of Science at the College of Lake County, he earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration at Carthage College, then a Master of Arts in Higher Education at Northeastern Illinois University and a Doctor of Education in Adult and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University. He went on to serve in various dean positions at Gateway Technical College for more than five years.
“When I had the opportunity to return to the comprehensive community college landscape with this position at COD, I knew I had to explore the opportunity,” he said. “This is where I know that I can have a positive impact on more students.”
While still acclimating to his new position, Nieto is focused on student success and student connection.
“It’s a privilege to serve in a position of leadership, and I take that with a great deal of humility,” he said. “Because it is not about me. It is about our students. Everything that we do needs to refocus on the success of our students and provide them the support that they need.”
Nieto also believes in giving back to his community. He has served on a local school board since 2013, hoping to provide a voice of the Latino community to K-12 education.
“My kids are grown, but I will continue to advocate for the kids coming through the educational pipeline. They need a voice; they need advocates; and that’s why I volunteer and put my whole heart into it.”