Dallas College Chancellor Names Virginia M. Fraire President of Richland Campus

Media Contact: ; Newsteam@DallasCollege.edu

For immediate release — Oct. 6, 2026

Dr. Justin H. Lonon, Chancellor of Dallas College, has appointed Dr. Virginia M. Fraire as President of Richland Campus following a comprehensive nationwide search and selection process. In this role, Fraire will report directly to Chancellor Lonon and will help advance the goals of Dallas College 2035 through workforce innovation, industry engagement, student success and community impact. 

Dr. Fraire's appointment follows the retirement announcement of Dr. Kay Eggleston, whose more than 50 years of service to Dallas College, including 16 years as president of Richland Campus, helped shape the institution and the communities it serves. 

"As we advance Dallas College 2035, we are strengthening the connections among education, workforce opportunity and economic growth across North Texas and beyond," said Dr. Justin H. Lonon, Chancellor of Dallas College. "Dr. Fraire is an accomplished leader who understands the power of community colleges to transform lives, develop talent and create lasting impact. Her strong experience in building partnerships with employers, educators and community organizations, combined with her commitment to student success, will help further our mission and strengthen Richland Campus' role as a driver of opportunity and prosperity for the communities we serve.”  

Lonon added, "We are deeply grateful to Dr. Eggleston for her extraordinary leadership and decades of service to Dallas College. She leaves an enduring legacy that has positioned Richland Campus as a national model for quality and continuous improvement, including becoming the first community college to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Thank you, Dr. Eggleston.” 

Fraire brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership, with a career spanning community colleges, universities and education organizations across Texas. Her experience includes workforce development, strategic planning, enrollment management, student success initiatives and the cultivation of partnerships that strengthen pathways between education and employment. 

Fraire most recently served as president of Lone Star College-University Park, where she led academic, workforce and community initiatives. Prior to that role, she served as vice provost for student success and strategic initiatives at The University of Texas at El Paso and as vice president of student affairs for Austin Community College District, where she helped lead institution-wide efforts focused on student achievement, workforce pathways and organizational effectiveness. 

"I am honored to join Dallas College and serve as president of Richland Campus," said Fraire. "Dallas College is creating meaningful opportunities for students while helping meet the evolving workforce needs of North Texas. I look forward to working alongside students, faculty, staff, business partners and community leaders to build on Richland's strengths and advance the transformative impact of Dallas College throughout the region." 

Dr. Fraire holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration, a Master of Science in Social Work and a Bachelor of Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. She currently serves as a trustee of National University and a board director for VitalSource Global EdTech. She is also an Aspen Presidential Fellow. 

Dallas College delivers academic and workforce training through seven schools designed to connect students with high-demand careers and transfer opportunities. Organized around the college's Guided Pathways model, the schools offer clear and purposeful routes to two and four-year degrees, certificates and industry-recognized credentials in Business, Hospitality and Global Trade; Creative Arts, Entertainment and Design; Education; Engineering, Technology, Mathematics and Sciences; Health Sciences; Law and Public Service; and Manufacturing and Industrial Technology. This approach aligns academic programs with workforce needs while providing students with the guidance, support and resources needed to achieve their educational and career goals. The Richland Campus is one of seven Dallas College campuses, in addition to satellite centers offering instructional and community services.  

About Dallas College    

Founded in 1965, Dallas College consists of seven campuses - Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland - plus a dozen centers located throughout Dallas County. As one of the largest community colleges in the U.S., Dallas College offers online and in-person learning, serving more than 133,000 credit, workforce and continuing education students annually. Students benefit from partnerships with local school districts, four-year universities, industry and community leaders. Dallas College offers associate degrees and career/technical certificate programs in more than 100 areas of study, as well as bachelor’s degrees in education, nursing, software development and management. As the largest provider of dual credit in Texas, Dallas College serves 30,000 high school students through 64 dual credit programs. To learn more visit: www.dallascollege.edu 

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