Adriana Segura, D.D.S., M.S., Health Science Center professor of general dentistry and at-large member of the Executive Committee, joined a group of exemplary individuals last week when she was one of only 10 Americans selected to participate in the HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities) W.K. Kellogg Leadership Fellows Program.
Dr. Segura was nominated by Health Science Center President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., to join the W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded program that is designed to increase the number of Hispanic senior-level leaders at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
“I am extremely honored to have been given this privilege and opportunity,” Dr. Segura said. “This program will enable me to strengthen my leadership skills and obtain insights on issues that will help our institution meet its mission of educating health professionals for South Texas and becoming an integral part of the health delivery system.”
The intense one-year program is supported by the Kellogg MSI (Minority-Serving Institutions) Leadership Fellows Program, which also supports the National Association for Equal Opportunity and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. The program prepares individuals to handle the challenges of the diverse higher education community.
Hispanics make up less the 4 percent of college presidents, according to the HACU. Therefore, Dr. Segura hopes to advance minority senior leadership in higher education by participating in the program.
“There is no course a person can take to learn how to be the president of a university,” Dr. Segura said. “This program is extremely important for developing skills to manage issues of HSIs and for creating strong abilities to serve as leaders of those institutions.”
Dr. Segura’s research interest is in cariology (tooth decay) and fluoride. She holds a grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research for her current research project, called “Early Caries Detection and Intervention.”
Dr. Segura currently holds additional appointments as a professor of pediatric dentistry and professor of pediatrics. She has also frequently lectured in Latin America, Central America and Mexico.
Among many prestigious memberships, Dr. Segura is a diplomat of the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and a fellow of the American Society of Dentistry, and was recently selected to join Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the National Dental Honor Society. She was honored by the American College of Dentists and in 2003 she was named among the San Antonio Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” top young professionals. This designation is given to individuals who have significantly contributed to their communities and profession.
Congratulations to Dr. Segura.