Oakton College Equity Leader Honored with Women Under 40 Award

Esperanza Salgado-Rodriguez was honored by the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC).
Des Plaines, Ill. (Nov. 13, 2024) – Oakton College’s Esperanza “Espy” Salgado-Rodriguez earned national recognition for her commitment to supporting historically underrepresented students. She was recently named an American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) Women Under 40 honoree. The award recognizes exceptional women from community colleges who consistently surpass expectations.

Salgado-Rodriguez serves as Oakton’s TRIO Student Support Services senior manager. The U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO programs provide essential resources for first-generation college students, many of whom come from low-income backgrounds or have documented disabilities.

“Espy is a tireless advocate for TRIO programs, consistently championing their importance in promoting access and success for historically underrepresented students,” said Leana Cuellar, Ph.D., Oakton’s dean of Access, Equity and Diversity. “She has served as an equity-focused leader in the Oakton community to ensure students have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive. Her dedication to empowering underserved students and her intentional efforts to create inclusive educational environments exemplify the spirit of this recognition.”

For nearly seven years, Salgado-Rodriguez has been instrumental in building Oakton’s TRIO Student Support Services program. Her notable achievements include launching Oakton’s “First-Gen College Student Week” in 2019. It’s since become an annual tradition that fosters unique engagement among students and College employees, strengthening Oakton’s commitment to inclusivity.

In addition, Salgado-Rodriguez serves on several college committees, bringing her vision for equity and student success. As a member of Oakton’s strategic planning committee, she helped shape the College’s equity-focused “Vision 2030” strategic plan. She also contributed to the CARES Act Committee, facilitating the distribution of federal COVID-19 relief funds, and the Global Studies Committee, developing enriching study-abroad opportunities for Oakton’s students.

Salgado-Rodriguez co-authored the article “The Community College: Building a Culture of Assessment” for the “New Directions for Student Services” journal. Her research explored the importance of assessment in promoting equitable student experiences in community colleges.

“I am incredibly grateful to receive this recognition from the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, said Salgado-Rodriguez. “It is truly humbling, and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to our Oakton College AAWCC chapter leadership for their nomination and support.”

Salgado-Rodriguez has a master’s degree in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago and a bachelor’s degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Spanish from Northwestern University. In addition, she holds a Nonprofit Executive Education Certificate from the University of Notre Dame. She lives with her family in Glenview.