Dr. Robert DeHaas, vice provost of the School of Education at Dallas College, has been selected for the prestigious Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship, a leadership development program run by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. The yearlong fellowship is designed to strengthen leadership in higher education and improve student outcomes. Dr. DeHaas was chosen from a pool of more than 120 applicants.
“I’m honored by the trust Dallas College leadership has placed in me by recommending and supporting my participation in this fellowship,” DeHaas said. “It reflects the college’s continued investment in developing leaders who are committed to transforming lives and communities through education.”
DeHaas joined Dallas College in 2019 as the founding dean of the Early Childhood Education Baccalaureate Institute and was named vice provost of the School of Education in 2020.
He brings more than 15 years of experience in the education field and currently serves on the Dallas County Blue Ribbon Child Care Commission, Region 10 Head Start and Early Head Start Advisory Council, and the PNC Bank Foundation Grow Up Great National Advisory Board. In 2024, he was named the Champion for Early Childhood Education in Texas by Texans Care for Children.
“Dr. DeHaas is smart, strategic and forward-thinking,” said Dr. Shawnda Floyd, provost of Dallas College. “More importantly, he understands the hard work required to lead real change. The Aspen Fellowship will further strengthen his leadership and provide a platform to share ideas with other top community college leaders across the country.”
The fellows will work closely with highly accomplished community college presidents and national education leaders to examine research, analyze demographic and labor market trends in their communities, assess student outcomes and develop a clear vision for student success.
“Our research on high-performing colleges shows they share key traits: Their presidents focus on a few large-scale reforms that go beyond enrollment and completion metrics and prioritize long-term student success — whether in the workforce or in continuing their education,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program.
“This cohort of fellows is deeply committed to student achievement and has the talent to lead transformative change. We look forward to working with them throughout the fellowship and welcoming them into our alumni network.”
