Highlights of Dr. Christina Ponce’s presidency (2019-present)

Dr. Christina Ponce became Temple College’s 11th president in January 2019. Prior to becoming president of Temple College, Dr. Ponce held positions with Austin Community College, El Paso Community College, Lee College and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Dr. Ponce received her Ph.D. in educational administration from the Community College Leadership Program at The University of Texas at Austin. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in education from UT and a master’s degree in political science from Texas State University.
Events during Dr. Ponce’s presidency:
2019
Fall: The Circle of Support Student Resource Center opened in the Arnold Student Union. The resource center includes a food pantry, an office staffed by a social worker and an office where students can apply for emergency loans. Opening the resource center was part of the college’s
Fall: The engineering and architectural firm Stantec begins working with the college to develop a new Facilities Master Plan.
2020
Spring: Longtime men’s basketball coach Kirby Johnson retires after reaching several milestones, including 800 career wins and 100,000 points scored by players under his direction.
Spring: The college prepares for its affirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
March 2020: A coronavirus pandemic hits the country, forcing the college to stop holding in-person classes and moving all classes online.
2021
September: Temple College receives a $3.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to partner with Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Taylor ISD, and other school districts to prepare more Hispanic and low-income students for careers in high paying, high-demand, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields.