President Biography

Dr. Daniel P. Corr is in his 10th year of service to the Arizona Western College district and his 34th year serving in community college education, having moved to the southwestern corner of the state after serving 9 years at Scottsdale Community College in the Maricopa Community College District.   

In July 2016, Dr. Corr began his tenure as the ninth President of AWC. He has focused his efforts on facilitating student success, increasing access to higher education, creating two comprehensive strategic plans, and fostering a climate of innovation, collaboration, and stewardship at AWC. Under his leadership, AWC has led the state in enrollment growth, transfer growth to in-state universities, and a whopping 1026% full-time student equivalent growth in Early College enrollment.  

Dr. Corr has also been instrumental in radically expanding partnerships that have led to an increase in external funding through grants, fundraising, and a first-ever state appropriation of $15M in 2024.   

Inclusiveness and diversity are critically important to Dr. Corr, both personally and professionally. In Fall, 2017, Dr. Corr launched a First Generation campaign to highlight the nearly 70% of AWC students who are the first in their family to attend college. He invited AWC faculty and staff who are also first in their family to self-identify by wearing a gold "First Gen" shirt, so students see examples of overcoming this obstacle throughout their college life with AWC. Dr. Corr is himself a first-generation college graduate, and he recognizes First Generation students as part of the rich diversity here at Arizona Western College. Dr. Corr's wife, Laura, was born in Mexico and together they have raised their two young adult daughters in a bicultural environment. As a family, they share a passion for international travel, education, and service. 

Dr. Corr has also overseen a wide range of capital improvements across the district, all at zero additional local tax burden to citizens, including the new Matador Activity Center, the AWC Transfer Center, the Law Enforcement Training Academy, the new DeAnza Residence Hall, and a still-underway shared Health Careers Center in partnership with Onvida Health.   

More than just facilities have been modernized under Dr. Corr’s leadership. In 2022, the college launched a complete rebrand, including adopting new colors, logos, and eventually, a new mascot.   

Perhaps one of Dr. Corr’s most notable accomplishments is the development of a model for Career and Technical Education (CTE) that has been recognized across the nation and globally. The Arizona Western Entrepreneurial College upends the traditional higher education structure to create an organization that operates with agility and dedicated resources as the second pillar of the college, alongside the classic transfer education pillar.    

Dr. Corr is known for many favorite catch phrases. One he repeats often at community meetings is, “We are a college OF the community,” and his support of the development of the college’s mission and vision are widely known across the district:  

• Mission: Transform lives through education and partnerships to create thriving communities.  
• Vision: Cultivating generations who value knowledge, foster independence, eliminate poverty, and create vital, equitable and sustainable communities. 

True to his energetic leadership, Dr. Corr closes many events with a phrase that captures his deep pride in the college and community: “It’s a Great Day to be a Matador.”