Dr. Catherine Olivares

As the Dean of Transfer, Articulation, and Alternative Credit Programs, Catherine Olivares manages and oversees Dallas College’s Ascender program, the college’s Transfer Partnerships and Pathways (Articulation), and the growing alternative credit programs (competency-based education, prior learning assessment, etc.).
She has over 15 years of experience in various roles that have all served to bridge the work and needs of academic and student services. She led the implementation of Guided Pathways to Success (GPS), championing pathway development to streamline the journey for students to complete a credential at Dallas College.

She also held positions in Transfer Articulation and Orientation and Transition Programs at the University of North Texas, in Academic Advising for the School of Education at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, and in Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Services and Financial Aid at the University of Texas San Antonio.

She is skilled at delivering presentations for large and small audiences regarding Transfer, GPS, and numerous other topics. She has had several manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and is an editorial board member for the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education.