Nicholas Segura, a retired electrician, is running for the Area 3 seat on the Southwestern Community College District board of trustees. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all the candidates running in community college districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. Here’s what Segura told us about his. Nicholas Segura (Chula Vista Photo) Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I’m running for the Southwestern College Board District 3 to ensure all students receive the quality education they deserve. My experience as a Navy veteran, construction industry professional and dedicated education advocate makes me a strong candidate. Additionally, my tenure on the Sweetwater Union High School District Board Area 4 since 2014, including roles as president and vice president, has prepared me to tackle the challenges our community college faces. My 26 years in the South Bay have given me insight into our community’s diverse needs. What is the most important issue currently facing your community college district? The most important issue facing our community college district is ensuring our students are well-prepared for successful futures, whether in college or careers. This involves aligning our course offerings with industry needs and expanding career technical education opportunities. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? Expand dual enrollment opportunities, giving students a head start on their college education and careers.Strengthen partnerships between the college, industry and the community to benefit every student.Ensure transparency and accountability in school governance while balancing fiscal priorities with educational goals. What would your approach be to budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? My approach to budget planning and spending would be to balance fiscal priorities with educational goals. I believe in equity-driven decision-making and gathering input from diverse voices. In case of a budget shortfall, I would strive to maintain programs that directly benefit students’ education and career prospects while looking for efficiencies in administrative areas. What would you do to make community college more affordable and accessible? To make community college more affordable and accessible, I would focus on expanding dual-enrollment opportunities. This allows students to earn college credits while still in high school, reducing the overall cost and time needed to complete their college education. Additionally, I would work to strengthen partnerships with local industries, potentially leading to more scholarship opportunities and relevant, job-focused programs. How should your community college district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? To raise student academic achievement, our community college district should focus on creating an inclusive environment where every student can thrive. As a board member, I would push for aligning course offerings with industry needs, expanding career technical education and increasing dual enrollment opportunities. These initiatives would help students see the relevance of their education and motivate them to excel academically. Why do you think more students are not transferring to four-year colleges or completing a degree/program? What, if anything, do you think should be done to address that issue? There could be multiple reasons why students aren’t transferring or completing their programs, including financial constraints, lack of clear career pathways or insufficient academic preparation. To address this, I would advocate for strengthening our career guidance services, expanding our dual enrollment program to better prepare students for college-level work and fostering stronger partnerships with four-year institutions to create clearer transfer pathways. Do you think anything currently offered in community college district curricula, libraries or programming should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? Rather than removing offerings, I believe we should continuously evaluate and update our curricula and programs to ensure they align with current industry needs and student interests. This doesn’t mean removing existing programs, but rather enhancing them and potentially adding new ones to better serve our students and community. Our goal should be to offer a comprehensive education that prepares students for both further academic pursuits and immediate career opportunities.