May 4, 2026 7:30p
(WGTD)---Gateway Technical College's new president has a resume that includes positions in both private industry and college administration.
56 year-old Veronique Tran currently serves as the vice provost of the School of Manufacturing & Industrial Technology at Dallas College, a large state-run community college in Texas. She beat out two other finalists to succeed Ritu Raju who left Gateway early last year.
Tran's Gateway contract was approved Monday by the school's board of trustees on a 6-0 vote. Board chair Jason Tadlock believes that Tran will be a good fit. "Dr. Tran brings to us a proven track record in leadership within workforce education, innovation and student success," he said. "She has a lot of experience in building industry partnerships and expanding career pathways which closely align with Gateway's mission," Tadlock said.
Tran considers herself to be a child refugee. She and her family emigrated to the U.S. after the Vietnam war in 1975. "My parents sacrificed everything to provide a new opportunity for freedom and education for their two daughters," Tran said in a WGTD Morning Show interview before her selection. "We were the first in our family to go to college," she said.
Starting out at a community college, Tran earned a succession of degrees that included both chemical and biomedical engineering. Her path included employment with Shell and a stop at Yale University before taking on leadership roles at community colleges and universities.
Tran will begin her role July 1 at which time Interim President Morgan Phillips will depart.
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