House Plans: Blackboard San Jac

Blackboard San Jac

Dr. Jesse D. Mireles has served in many roles for Phoenix College – a comprehensive community college, with a highly diverse ethnic population, located on 54 acres in downtown Phoenix, serving approximately 24,000 credit students and 20,000 non-credit students per year. Jesse has been with the Maricopa County Community College District since 1987. The college has a working budget exceeding $43 million, 175 full-time faculty, 454 part-time faculty and 300 support staff. His degrees include: an Ed.D. Curriculum/Instruction and Education Administration, University of Houston; M. Ed. University of Houston; B.S. University of Houston; and an A.A.S. San Jacinto College.

He served in the United States Armed Forces as a combat infantry platoon sergeant in Vietnam and received his military leadership training at Fort Benning, Georgia’s NCO Military Leadership Academy. He was decorated for his leadership actions in combat under fire and was honorably discharged in 1969.

Jesse taught six years for San Jacinto Community College in Pasadena, Texas before beginning private practice in architecture by founding Dickens, Mireles, Patel & Associates, Inc. Architects, Planners and Construction Managers, in 1978. He designed schools, office buildings, churches and many commercial, single family and multi-family projects.

In 1986 he accepted an associate professor teaching position with Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. He specialized in teaching architecture and construction project management classes before returning to the community college. Jesse began his current tenure with Phoenix College in 1987 and developed a broad base of experience in both academic and administrative disciplines. These experiences included serving as a Classroom Teacher, Program Director, Department Chair, Chair Caucus Chair (elected by all department chairs), Faculty Association Senator (elected position), Executive Assistant to the President, Senior Associate Dean of Instruction, Associate Dean of Instruction. While serving in his second appointment as Executive Assistant to the President, under a second president, Dr. Mireles’ primary responsibilities involved fund raising, Strategic Planning and orchestrating the college’s facilities master planning efforts for the district’s successful November 4, 2004 capital bond election which exceeded an estimated $952 million district wide budget. Jesse’s duties also included but were not limited to managing the president’s budget, keeping Governing Board members, local Legislatures and Community Constituencies informed of the college’s progress on a regular basis.