San Jacinto College has announced the appointment of Laura Bettencourt as the new provost for its North Campus, effective June 15. Bettencourt brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience, most recently serving as the senior associate vice chancellor for academic support at Lone Star College.

Career Achievements

During her tenure at Lone Star College, Bettencourt spearheaded initiatives focused on aligning credentials and grants. She played a pivotal role in developing a comprehensive framework to support high-quality micro-credentials for students. Her leadership extended to managing several system-level grants, including Perkins and a Houston Endowment grant aimed at accelerating the implementation of Texas House Bill 8, which introduces the ‘Student Success Tool’ as a replacement for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness.

Bettencourt was instrumental in the design and launch of Lone Star College-Online, the institution’s eighth campus, which enrolled nearly 3,645 students in its first semester and was recognized as a Bellwether Award Finalist.

Endorsement and Educational Background

Alexander Okwonna, the incoming deputy chancellor and college president, praised Bettencourt as a student-focused leader with a strong commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement. He highlighted her extensive experience in higher education and her dedication to expanding access and opportunities for students as key reasons for her selection.

Bettencourt holds a doctorate in higher education and organizational change from Benedictine University, a Master of Arts in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Marshall University.

Original reporting: Community Impact — Houston — read the source article.