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Dustin Luca
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SALEM, MASS – A Viking student leader on campus with ties to North Shore Community College has been selected to serve as the student representative on Salem State University’s Board of Trustees.
Angel Garcia, a Lynn resident and member of Salem State’s class of 2025, is the latest in a long line of student representatives chosen to serve on the university’s leading deliberative body. But it isn’t his first time on such a board, after having served as the student representative to North Shore Community College’s Board of Trustees while enrolled there in academic year 2022-23.
Garcia, a 1995 graduate of Lynn English High School, is a history major who first enrolled at North Shore Community College in 2021 upon the encouragement of his wife, Barbara. His daughter, Alexus, graduated from the Bertolon School of Business in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in business, and in 2024 with a master’s degree in accounting.
”I’m honored and excited to serve Salem State University’s Board of Trustees,” Garcia said. “When I first joined the Board of Trustees at North Shore, I sought to do something aside from my coursework that would connect me more to the NSCC student body and community. Two years later, this is an opportunity to do something for the university after everything that has gone well for my family, and me in my adventure back to education.”
A part-time taxi dispatcher and prior Lynn youth football coach, Garcia is also a staunch supporter of literacy and regular volunteer with The REAL Program, a Lynn-based literature advocacy non-profit responsible for distributing books throughout the city. The organization maintains and stocks more than 20 little free libraries across the city, with plans to build more on the horizon, he explained.
Garcia said he has several priorities for his second run as a trustee, the first of which is to “establish a welcoming outlet for students to be heard.” He also wants to promote academic success and play a role in leading students to it, in part through encouraging them to lead by his example.
“Building strong communities requires informed and engaged citizens, and I intend to promote just that to my fellow students, give them an idea of what it means to be engaged and informed,” Garcia said. “From there, we can watch as our communities grow and people’s lives improve. I want to build from this experience, go back home, put these skills to play, and if everything goes well, I can inspire others to do the same.”
Shawn Newton, associate vice president and dean of students, said he could recall his first interactions with Garcia after he transferred to Salem State.
“When he arrived on campus, he hit the ground running, getting involved with student organizations, volunteering at campus events and becoming deeply involved in local initiatives,” Newton said. “His passion for other students is evident as he drops into my office regularly to advocate on behalf of his peers, demonstrating a strong commitment to their well-being and success.”
Newton noted that Garcia has also previously appeared in front of Salem State’s Board of Trustees “to share his experience since being on campus.”
“I’m extremely proud of him, and I look forward to the positive impact he will bring in his new role as student trustee,” Newton said. “His dedication, drive and passion for Salem State University thus far makes him an exemplary representative of our student body.”