Dr. De Los Santos
At a special meeting on Monday, Aug. 12, Victoria College’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Estella P. De Los Santos to fill the District 1 seat vacated by Dr. Josie Rivera, who resigned in July after 14 years of service.
De Los Santos is a longtime educator and community leader. She earned her Associate of Arts from VC in 1976 after graduating from Stroman High School. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Houston-Victoria in 1977 and a master’s degree in education from UHV in 1983. She earned her doctoral degree in education from the University of Houston in 1994.
De Los Santos has been a professor at the University of Houston-Victoria since 1991. Prior to that, she spent 14 years as a teacher in the Victoria Independent School District, working at every level from elementary to high school. She also served on the Victoria ISD Board of Trustees for 19 years before resigning in June 2023.
“Dr. De Los Santos brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Victoria College’s Board of Trustees,” said Bland Proctor, VC Board Chair.
“VC’s Board of Trustees has long benefitted from Dr. Josie Rivera’s contributions as an educator, and we recognize the value of appointing another educator to fill her vacancy,” said Bland Proctor, VC Board Chair. “We are confident that Dr. De Los Santos will be a strong advocate for our students and our community.”
De Los Santos will serve the remainder of Rivera’s term, which ends in 2030.
“I am honored to join VC’s Board of Trustees and look forward to working alongside the other board members and the dedicated staff to advance the mission of Victoria College,” said De Los Santos. “I’m excited to give back to the institution where I began my educational journey.”