Sam Agdasi has devoted his professional life to strengthening community college education and creating better opportunities for students. With over 25 years of experience in higher education, including more than 15 years in community colleges, he has served in a range of positions, including faculty member, program chair, dean, and senior academic administrator. He has served at the vice president level. Sam Agdasi has worked to improve student success, expand transfer pathways, support STEM education, develop career technical education (CTE), and advance applied disciplines. His leadership has consistently focused on aligning academic programs with transfer requirements and workforce needs while keeping student achievement, institutional effectiveness, and long-term outcomes at the center of that work. At Compton College in Compton, California, Sam serves as the Dean of Student Learning for the Business & Industrial Studies and Social Sciences Divisions. In this role, he provides leadership for a broad set of academic and workforce programs, including business, industrial trades, and social sciences. His work emphasizes academic quality, instructional improvement, and student outcomes. He works closely with faculty and staff to strengthen teaching and foster a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring programs remain responsive to student needs and regional labor market demands. His current responsibilities include both strategic leadership and day-to-day operational oversight. He manages budget planning, curriculum development, program review, and faculty support. He also leads dual enrollment initiatives and helps develop partnerships with K–12 districts, four-year institutions, and industry partners. These efforts are intended to widen access for students and strengthen both transfer and workforce pathways. Through collaboration and data-informed decision-making, he has supported program sustainability, enrollment stability, and student success across multiple disciplines. Before joining Compton College, Former Vice President Sam Agdasi held leadership roles at large community colleges in California and in the Midwest, including within a multi-campus system. In those positions, he managed multi-million-dollar budgets, supported institutional and programmatic accreditations, and helped expand instructional delivery through traditional and online formats. His experience includes leading complex academic divisions and aligning educational offerings with transfer requirements and workforce priorities. He has also contributed to strategic planning initiatives that connect academic programs with regional economic development goals. Earlier in his career, Sam worked as a faculty member and program chair, helping develop new curricula and establish academic programs. One notable accomplishment was leading the development of a nanotechnology program supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) funding. This effort brought together concepts from science, engineering, health-related fields, and applied technologies. He has also contributed to grant-funded initiatives supported by the National Science Foundation and workforce development programs such as Strong Workforce and Perkins, helping expand opportunities for students through internships, industry partnerships, and career pathways. Former Vice President Sam Agdasi holds a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology. After graduate studies, he worked as a Research Specialist in the Chemistry Department at Purdue University. As an immigrant and first-generation college graduate, he brings a personal understanding of the importance of educational access. He continues to support stronger academic pathways, meaningful partnerships, and student progress through a leadership approach grounded in service, opportunity, and long-term impact.