Paul Hernandez

2020-21 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow
Dr. Paul Hernandez is a former faculty member, an educational consultant, and vice president of academic and student affairs at Mount Wachusett Community College in Massachusetts. Prior to earning his degrees, he was engulfed in gangs and deep poverty, surviving on the streets of Los Angeles. Paul openly shares with others his unique personal story and how his path has influenced his work. He began his educational journey in community college and eventually went on to earn his doctorate in sociology, specializing in the sociology of education, inequality, and diversity.

Dr. Hernandez is committed to working with students and empowering the professionals who work with them on a daily basis. He wants to ensure that students not only graduate from college but move on to live fulfilling and happy lives. He is author of the best-selling book The Pedagogy of Real Talk: Engaging, Teaching, and Connecting with Students at Risk and is currently working on his next book, focused on transforming institutions through teaching and learning.