News

AWC President Dr. Daniel Corr receives National Pacesetter Award

April 2, 2026

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Washington, D.C. (April 2, 2026) – Arizona Western College President Dr. Daniel Corr has been honored with the 2026 National Pacesetter award by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) for his decade of leadership in higher education and commitment to transforming lives by expanding access for students.

“On a daily basis, I get to work side by side with such talented professionals, many of whom have benefited from the support of NCMPR,” Dr. Corr said in his acceptance speech. “As a result, we’ve created an environment on our campus that our students, the vast majority of them first-generation, feel supported, and welcomed like they belong.”

The award was presented Thursday, March 19th in Washington, D.C. at the annual conference for NCMPR, which brings together hundreds of marketing and communications professionals from two-year colleges across North America and beyond. The Pacesetter of the Year Award honors a community college president or CEO who has shown outstanding leadership and a strong commitment to advancing communications and marketing efforts. Presented annually across NCMPR’s seven districts, each district honoree is eligible to compete for the national award. Corr had previously been named 2025 District Pacesetter for NCMPR District 6 during its October conference in Las Vegas. 

"Dr. Corr has been a strong supporter of clear communications and for telling the stories of our college students, faculty, and staff, since he came to the district nearly 10 years ago,” shared Lorraine Stofft, AWC Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the AWC Foundation. “He understands the value of brand, consistency, and connection with our media partners. His catch phrase ‘It's a great day to be a Matador’ is often repeated around town. He wisely set the tone early with the tradition of starting and ending every major college event with a student speaker, and our colleagues love hearing their stories. He is a communications wiz!"

With his backing, the AWC Marketing and Communications team completed a rebranding of the college’s visual identity in 2022. Dr. Corr’s support was also instrumental in the launch of Matador Merch, the college’s on-campus merch store featuring apparel and accessories designed in-house. Districtwide, Corr has also fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration, leading AWC to record enrollment and transfer growth, major Early College expansion, and a strong focus on supporting first-generation students.

“Under his leadership, AWC has grown to become a state leader in enrollment growth, transfer success, and early college enrollment,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs in her letter of support for his nomination. “Arizona is fortunate to have leaders like Dr. Corr who continually strive to ensure that every learner has a pathway to success.”

Corr is completing his tenth year at AWC and has announced his upcoming retirement in June. 

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Contact: 
Mandy Heil
Dean of Marketing & Communications
Arizona Western College
Mandy.Heil@azwestern.edu
(928) 314-9594