Victor Sáenz

Associate Dean for Student Success, Community Engagement and Administration
L. D. Haskew Centennial Professor in Public School Administration

As the Associate Dean for Student Success, Community Engagement and Administration, Dr. Sáenz oversees the College of Education’s focus and commitment to fostering a welcoming community and is involved in the college’s recruitment and student success initiatives.

Dr. Sáenz’s current work advances research-informed best practices and policy solutions that improve educational outcomes for underserved students in education, with a special emphasis on boys and young men of color. In 2010 Sáenz co-founded an award-winning initiative at UT-Austin called Project MALES (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success), a research effort focused on improving educational outcomes for male students of color.

Over the years, Dr. Sáenz has received various research and service recognitions for his support of schools, students, and communities (e.g., Somos Austin, Seedling Mentors, Catch the Next). In fall 2010, he was recognized as one of seven “ING Professors of Excellence” among over two thousand faculty members at the University of Texas. In 2018 he received a Research Award from the AERA Hispanic Research Issues SIG. He has also earned several faculty fellowships at UT-Austin and is currently the holder of the L.D. Haskew Centennial Professorship in Public School Administration.

Dr. Sáenz has co-authored three books and has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and his work has been cited in numerous policy reports, scholarly publications, and by local and national media. He has presented his research at countless conferences and meetings across the country, including at the White House, the National Press Club and on Capitol Hill.  He is currently the Board Chair of AAHHE, a national association committed to advancing leadership opportunities for the Latinx community in higher education.

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