SDCCD : Mesa College President Dr. Pamela Luster Announces Retirement

Press release from San Diego Community College District:

September 21, 2021

Dr. Pamela T. Luster has announced that she will retire as President of San Diego
Mesa College on June 30, 2022. 

Dr. Luster has served as the President of San Diego Mesa College since 2011. Under her leadership, Mesa has successfully launched equity programs,
a Bachelors degree, the addition of multiple academic programs, won multiple athletics
titles, integrated Guided Pathways, issued Mesa2030, the College Educational and Facilities
Master Plan, and successfully completed the Accreditation process multiple times.

In her Retirement and Appreciation letter, Dr. Luster states, “It has been the absolute professional pinnacle and joy of my
life to serve as President.”

Dr. Luster has been active in creating collaborative and progressive initiatives alongside
stellar teams at the college with local high schools, universities, and community
partners to create inclusive, diverse, and equitable opportunities for students.

In her letter, Dr. Luster asserts, “(At Mesa) We have collectively created an amazing
and transformative learning environment resulting in propelling our students to success.
We have invested our hearts and minds in learning from one another, and striving to
become The Leading College of Equity and Excellence.” 

Dr. Luster has served in several positions in local, state and national organizations.
She is currently serving as the immediate past-President of the Chief Executive Officers
of California Community Colleges (CEOCCC) Board, and she was appointed to the American
Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Dr. Luster served as board member and President of the California Community College
Athletics Association (CCCAA), and co-chaired and is still a member of the CEOCCC
Affordability, Food and Housing Task Force. She is also currently serving on Governor
Newsom's Task force for Basic Needs in Higher Education.

Within the Mesa community, she serves on the board of Bayside Community Center in
Linda Vista, and is a current member and former board President of San Diego Youth
Services. Dr. Luster is a Board of Governors member of The San Diego Foundation. She
is a member of and has served as the Chair of the San Diego-Imperial County Community
College Association (SDICCCA).

“I am excited to embark on the next chapter of my life, which will include continued
work in diversity equity, justice, and inclusion,” stated Dr. Luster, regarding her
decision to retire. “In particular, I am committed to contribute to the research and
practices that lead to racial equity, meeting students’ basic needs and in the end
creating more inclusive higher education institutions.”

Dr. Luster's Retirement and Appreciation Letter

June 2016 - Mesa president building a legacy

This press release was produced by San Diego Community College District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.