VRC Manager Nominated for National Higher Education Award

August 03, 2026 - 03:08 PM

Desiree A. Campos, Mt. SAC’s Manager of Financial Aid, Scholarships and Veterans Resource Center, has been nominated for the 2026 HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award.

The HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award recognizes higher education professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership in developing innovative programs and services that support military-affiliated students. Recipients are selected from nominations submitted by the public and stakeholders across the higher education community.

In her role, Campos provides leadership and administrative oversight for the College's Scholarship Program Office and Veterans Resource Center while supporting the daily operations and strategic initiatives of the Financial Aid Office.

With 25 years of experience in student affairs, Campos has remained committed to expanding educational access, strengthening student support services, and improving outcomes for military-connected students, scholarship recipients, and other diverse student populations.

"As a proud member of a military family, this nomination is especially meaningful to me. I understand firsthand the sacrifices military families make and the unique challenges service members, veterans and their loved ones face. It has been an honor to advocate for those who have served our country by helping create opportunities and support systems that allow them to succeed in higher education," she said.

Since joining Mt. SAC's Division of Student Services in 2008, Campos has played an instrumental role in enhancing services for veterans and military-connected students while helping strengthen the College's financial aid and scholarship programs. Her leadership is grounded in student advocacy, program innovation, and creating pathways that empower students to achieve their academic and career goals.

Campos also serves on the Veterans Advisory Regional Representative Group for the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office. In that capacity, she collaborates with Chancellor's Office leadership and representatives from colleges throughout California to identify emerging issues, develop statewide best practices, provide policy and operational guidance, and advance initiatives that improve services and educational outcomes for military-connected students.

In addition, Campos serves as president of the Veterans Programs Directors Regional Consortium (Region 8), representing veterans’ programs at 13 Southern California community colleges, including Mt. SAC. In this leadership role, she fosters regional collaboration, coordinates professional development opportunities, and advocates for the consistent implementation of policies and best practices that strengthen support for veterans and other military-connected students across the region.

The 2026 winner will be announced in the coming weeks via the HigherEdMilitary newsletter