Shirley Reed, the founding president of South Texas College which is based in McAllen, is the winner of the 2013 Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education from McGraw Hill Financial. The prize, and a $50,000 cash award, is given to individuals who have made significant strides in making a college education an achievable dream for the next generation. Over the past 20 years, South Texas College has seen enrollments increase to 30,000 students on five campuses.
Dr. Reed was married at the age of 16 and did not enroll in community college until the age of 26. She worked as a hospital lab technician and it took her six years to earn her associate’s degree. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr. Reed holds a master’s degree in library science from the University of Hawaii, an MBA from Western International University in Phoenix, and a doctorate in educational administration from Illinois State University.