Villarreal named new BBCC trustee

OTHELLO - Miguel (Mike) Villarreal was appointed to the Board of Trustees at Big Bend Community College.

Villarreal will replace Mike Wren, of Ephrata, who resigned. Wren had served as trustee since 2008. Villarreal was appointed in November and his term continues through 2017.

Villarreal said it's an opportunity to learn what's going on in post-secondary education, and to give trustees and college officials a look at what's going on in K-12 education. Currently Villarreal is the assistant superintendent in the Othello School District. He received a doctorate in educational leadership in 2011. He was Warden Middle School principal from 1999 to 2008, and elementary school teacher in Warden from 1995-99. He is a 1988 graduate of Othello High School.

His experiences help him when identifying the education needs of the rural areas in the college district and how the college can help meet them, he said. "I know what our kids are like," he said. "I think this is an opportunity to serve, mostly, the kids."

Big Bend has a good program, Villarreal said, and the college needs to build on that, maintaining a strong vocational program and an adequate academic program for students looking for four-year degrees.

College employees were in Othello recently, talking to administrators about the programs available at BBCC, Villarreal said, and Othello administrators were surprised at the range of options. And Othello is only 25 minutes away, Villarreal said. College administrators and trustees need to get out in the communities and explain what they have to offer, he said. "The colleges need to be hungrier."

Villarreal said he's excited to join the board because it gives him a chance to offer ideas and learn new things himself.