DIRECTORY LISTING
Biography
José Higuera-López, PhD
José Higuera-López is the Director of the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute (CUNY MSI), housed at Lehman College. He served as both Academic and Administrative Director from December 2016 through August 2021. Born in Tijuana, México, Dr. Higuera López immigrated to the United States in 2009. He is an accomplished educator and administrator with over twenty years of experience in both countries.
Since September 2016, Dr. Higuera López has successfully fundraised and secured over $7 million dollars in multiple grants and awards. These resources have helped establish and consolidate the numerous initiatives and programs hosted by CUNY MSI. These initiatives directly benefit thousands of New Yorkers every year, by boosting enrollment of Mexican and Mexican-American students in CUNY, promoting equity and upward mobility through academic achievement, fostering research, and collaborating with community-based organizations and public institutions to support and empower all New Yorkers.
Aware of the importance of preserving the historical memory of the Mexican community in New York, Dr. Higuera-López founded the Digital Archives and Resources Unit as well as the CUNY Mexican Studies Archives and Library. Furthermore, in collaboration with BronxNet, he created the Mexican Studies Oral History Project, a television program that documents the experience, challenges, and contributions of the Mexican community in New York City.