Senior Director for Workforce Development and Education

Zaida Gracia joined Texas Tech University's Whitacre College of Engineering in 2013 as Director of Special Projects before advancing to Assistant Academic Dean for International Programs in 2015. In this leadership role, she significantly expanded the college's global reach by forging new international partnerships and implementing a donor-based scholarship program that supported financially disadvantaged students. Through these initiatives, she achieved a 400% increase in engineering student participation in study-abroad programs. Additionally, she successfully directed the Research for Undergraduates summer program for a decade, fostering student engagement in hands-on research experiences.

Prior to joining Texas Tech, Dr. Gracia served as a Mathematics Professor at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico. During her tenure, she spearheaded multiple STEM-focused federal grants aimed at increasing student participation in STEM programs. Her responsibilities included leading curriculum development initiatives, conducting program evaluation and assessment, and serving as Chair of the Science Department. Her leadership was instrumental in strengthening the university's STEM education programs.