Short Bio
 

        Dr. German Vargas serves as the Assistant Vice President for Academic Student Engagement at the College of Coastal Georgia. He has been teaching at the collegiate level for the past 13 years and is still involved in classroom instruction of courses ranging from developmental Math to upper division courses in the B.S. in Mathematics program at CCGA. In 2011 he was a key participant in the Complete College America grant initiative that funded 4 institutions in the University System of Georgia (USG) to enhance the success rates in developmental programs by incorporating technology and redesigned models of instruction. In January 2013, Dr. Vargas was appointed by the USG, to serve as a member of the statewide Task Force on the Role of Mathematics in College Completion. He was subsequently appointed by the USG as chair of the Ad Hoc Steering Committee, group that developed the implementation plan that is guiding the transformation of Mathematics education throughout the system. Dr. Vargas was the 2014-2015 Chair of the Academic Advisory Committee on Mathematical Subjects (ACMS) and is the leader of several initiatives including the transformation at scale to adopt open educational resources in Mathematics courses, as part of the Affordable Learning Georgia efforts.

        Dr. Vargas serves as one of the “Bridge Builders” of Complete College America, and has worked with several states to support the implementation of Mathematics Pathways, Corequisite Remediation, and to highlight the role of faculty in the development of system-wide changes.
 
 

Leadership Philosophy
 

        Raised with a very positive perspective on life, I have had the opportunity to enjoy a personal transformative journey propelled by education. The critical role that education had in my life and the life of those around me, naturally conduced me to become an educator with the goal of empowering students to improve their lives. Fortunate once again, my career as an educator also evolved, and with time, my resilient efforts to exploit the transformative effects of education started reaching broader audiences, and my vision and principles organically transformed me into a leader in higher education.

        At the core of my values is a strong directive to do what is right. It has been my goal to engage and assess every initiative from this principle, regardless of how difficult or unpopular it could be. However, it is only through the power of collaboration that success is ultimately reached. As a leader, I need to clearly articulate and convey such principles to those around me, ensuring that their engagement is rooted in our shared belief in the transformative power of education.

        I am characterized by a creative, positive, and transformative vision; and while I believe that my honest enthusiasm can be contagious, it is not because of oratory, but because it is well-founded, data driven, and the result of continuous thought and reflection.

        With core values anchored in integrity, work ethics, transparency and respect, and with the natural traits of creativity and innovation, I have also had the opportunity to develop a robust leadership skillset both through experience and training at the state and national level. In my growth as a leader, I have gained the ability to embrace conflict, and developed the capacity to cultivate leadership in others through coaching, mentoring and by fostering a work environment that is empowering and of great participation and inclusion.
 

German Vargas