Worcester Business Journal

22 Worcester Business Journal | July 27, 2026 | wbjournal.com What was the biggest impact you made in your time as QCC president? Everything comes back to the students. My north star has always been student success because educa- tion transformed my own life as a first-generation college student, immigrant who came out of the inner city, and an English language learner. When I think of how much education transformed my life, how it opened doors for me, and how back when I was growing up in inner city Miami, if you had told me I'd be a president of a college in Massachusetts one day, I probably wouldn't have believed it. But my parents always told me to study hard, because you can lose ev- erything, but you can never lose your education. One of the accomplishments I'm most proud of is strengthening the support systems around our students. We expanded counseling services, de- veloped a robust food pantry in part- nership with the community, created workforce development opportuni- ties, and opened our First-Generation Student Support Center. What were the goals of your presiden- cy when you started the job? I had three goals. e first was improving student suc- cess. I oen told people we wouldn't stop until we reached 100% student success. Some would say that's impos- sible, but my point was that we should never stop working to remove barriers for students. e second goal was stabilizing enrollment. When I joined QCC in 2017, enrollment had been declining, so we focused on re- tention and making sure students had the support they needed to stay in school. We have stabilized, and thanks to the free community college efforts from the governor and the state legislature, we've been able to increase our enrollment numbers. Last fall we had 9,000 students, a significant increase. e third goal was strengthening the college's financial position by diversifying revenue sources. We increased grant funding, expanded workforce development partnerships, invested in campus infrastructure, and maintained strong financial reserves. Were you able to accomplish every- thing you set out to do? Overall, I believe we did. W hen Luis Pedraja arrived at Quinsigamond Community College in 2017, the institution faced declining enrollment and financial challenges. Nearly a decade later, enrollment has rebounded, student support services have expanded, and the college has secured major investments to strengthen its future. As Pedraja prepares to retire next year, he reflects on the goals that shaped his presidency. 'e legacy you leave behind' e pandemic certainly interrupt- ed everyone's plans, but because we had already built momentum before COVID-19, we were able to recover. Today, the college is financially stable, enrollment is growing, and major projects like the new student center are helping e timing of my retirement was intentional. We're beginning work on the next strategic plan, and I wanted to give the next president an opportu- nity to help shape that vision. What surprised you most? e weight of the decisions. One lesson I learned is that credit rolls down and blame rolls up. Success be- longs to the faculty, staff, and employ- ees who do the work every day. As a leader, your responsibility is to make the difficult deci- sions and accept accountability for them. What do you see as your legacy? e most meaningful recognition I've received wasn't an award. It was hearing from students aer I an- nounced my retirement. Several wrote to tell me how the college, or some- thing I had said, made a difference in their lives. at's what matters most to me. What matters are the students whose lives, and their families' lives, have been changed through education. I've always believed leadership isn't measured by how long you stay. It's measured by the legacy you leave behind and whether you've positioned the institution to succeed aer you're gone. is interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ Correspondent Sloane M. Perron. W PHOTO | COURTESY OF QUINSIGAMOND COMMUNITY COLLEGE Luis Pedraja President Quinsigamond Community College, in Worcester Annual revenue: $75.2 million Employees: 1,346 His age: 63 Hometown: Cienfuegos, Cuba Residence: Worcester Education: Ph.D. in philosophy and theology from University of Virginia, master of divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky, bachelor's degree from Stetson University in Florida QCC President Luis Pedraja

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