Candidate for Arizona Western College president outlines workforce and health education priorities

Dr. Reetika Dhawan used public town halls on November 5 and 6 to lay out a strategic agenda as the governing board's sole preferred candidate for Arizona Western College president. Speaking to packed rooms on the Yuma campus, Dhawan focused on building employer partnerships, expanding career and technical education, and centering the college's mission on faculty and students.

Central to Dhawan's presentation was a push to link AWC more closely with regional employers. She described plans to work with major firms and noted a forthcoming TSMC visit along with interest in 2+2 pathways that would connect community college programs with four year institutions. Those connections are designed to create clearer progression for students and to align training with local labor demand.

Health workforce development was a prominent theme. Dhawan highlighted an Onvida Health partnership and outlined a new health education pipeline that could let students progress through local training pathways. For a border region that faces chronic shortages in health personnel and barriers to access, bolstering training and creating local pathways into health careers could translate to more clinicians, allied health staff, and community health workers remaining in Yuma County.

The candidate framed her approach in personnel and cultural terms, urging a focus on service over status and placing faculty and students at the center of AWC's mission. Her background in teaching and administration across AWC programs informed the presentation and the emphasis on supporting instructors who train the local workforce. Strengthening faculty capacity and creating collaborative programs that link the college to regional employers were presented as levers to improve educational access and economic mobility.

Local impact could be significant for residents who seek careers that do not require relocation. Expanded career and technical education and workforce training can create pathways into stable employment in sectors such as manufacturing, health care, and technical services. For public health, a locally trained pipeline can improve staffing at clinics, reduce turnover, and increase culturally competent care for Yuma County's diverse population.

The report accompanying this story includes photos and a link to Dhawan's full presentation, along with information about the next steps in the board's selection process. As the governing board moves forward, questions for local leaders will include how partnerships will be funded and scaled, how training programs will address equity for low income and immigrant students, and how expanded health education will translate into improved access to care across the region.