Professor Is Finalist For AACC Excellence Faculty Innovation Award

Diego Tibaquirá, a computer science professor at Eduardo J. Padrón Campus, has been named a finalist for the 2025 American Association of Community Colleges of Excellence Faculty Innovation Award. 

The award recognizes faculty members who have made significant contributions to their field. Winners will be announced at the AACC Awards of Excellence Gala on April 15 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tibaquirá has helped build the nationally recognized cybersecurity, cloud computing and artificial intelligence programs at the College in partnership with companies, such as AWS and Microsoft.

“[When] the students see that what we’re doing in the classroom has meaning that is way beyond the class, and if they do it right, they can be the next to do that,” Tibaquirá said.

Tibaquirá earned an associate’s degree in networking technology from Craven Community College in North Carolina, a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

He also has a master’s degree in computer science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a doctorate degree in information technology and distance education from Nova Southeastern University.