Farewell to Dr. Craig-Marius
Dear Gavilan Community,
I am writing to share some bittersweet news regarding Dr. Craig-Marius. She and her husband, Michael, have made the meaningful decision to relocate back to their hometown of Fresno. As many of you know, their roots in the Central Valley run deep. It is where they grew up and where much of their family, including one of their sons, currently resides. With aging relatives nearby, being close to home to provide care and support has become a primary focus for them.
As they return to Fresno, Michael plans to step into a K12 administrative role, and Dr. Craig-Marius will continue her impactful work as an educator, including teaching online in the Higher Education Leadership Master’s degree program at San Jose State University beginning this summer.
Our professional journey together began in 2013 at the State Center Community College District, and over the years, I have come to know her as both a respected colleague and a dear friend. Dr. Craig-Marius joined Gavilan a year before I did, and her leadership was essential in maintaining stability and guiding my own transition as President. Her contributions have been transformative. She led a successful reorganization of Student Services to better support our students and spearheaded the growth of our dual enrollment program, which is a cornerstone of our enrollment recovery and fiscal stability. Her steady, kind, and exceptional leadership will be deeply missed.
I understand that seeing transitions in two of our Vice President roles at the same time can create uncertainty. I want to reassure you that we have a clear, structured plan in place to ensure continuity and leadership for our campus.
- Vice President of Academic Affairs: Our recruitment process will begin soon. We expect to hold open forums in September when faculty return from summer break, with the goal of welcoming a permanent leader by October. To support a smooth transition, Dr. Fayek will remain with us through October to assist with the transition.
- Vice President of Student Services: I will appoint an experienced external interim to lead Student Services through the end of the fall semester. This will be a temporary appointment. This allows us to maintain our momentum while we conduct a comprehensive search this fall, targeting a Spring 2027 start date for the new VPSS.
Change, while significant, also offers us an opportunity to build upon the strong foundation Dr. Craig-Marius and Dr. Fayek have helped establish. We remain fully committed to our mission and to supporting each of you throughout this process.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Craig-Marius for her dedicated service to Gavilan College and wishing her and her family the very best on their move back home and her continued success in higher education.
Sincerely,
Dr. Pedro Avila
Superintendent/President
5055 Santa Teresa Boulevard | Gilroy, CA 95020
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