The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is proud to announce that Dr. Linda Thor, MCCCD Governing Board Member-At-large and Rio Salado College President Emeritus, was honored during the prestigious Arizona Higher Education Awards ceremony presented by the Pete C. Garcia Victoria Foundation. Each September, the foundation recognizes and celebrates the outstanding contributions of individuals within Arizona’s higher education community whose work directly and significantly impacts the Latiné community.
During the awards ceremony held on September 25, 2024, Dr. Thor received the Edith Sayre Auslander Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues in Higher Education Award. Each year the award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated significant and outstanding contributions to issues impacting socially and economically deprived communities. The award is named after Edith Sayre Auslander, an admired higher education trailblazer who served as a University of Arizona faculty member, vice president, and the first Hispanic woman appointed to the Arizona Board of Regents.
Dr. Thor is a nationally recognized leader and innovator in higher education and has served on the MCCCD Governing Board since 2016. She has over 40 years of experience working in community colleges, including 29 years as a chief executive officer. Throughout her career, Dr. Thor has held significant leadership positions, including Chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District from 2010 to 2015, President of Rio Salado College from 1990 to 2010, and President of West Los Angeles College from 1986 to 1990.
Established in 2008 by Pete C. Garcia, the Victoria Foundation was created to improve conditions in impoverished communities throughout Arizona. In 2017, the foundation was renamed in Garcia’s memory. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded close to 1,600 academic scholarships, totaling $1.9 million, to Latiné students pursuing college degrees, significantly impacting their educational journey.