College of the Sequoias represents education, community, progress, and the next major step in many students’ lives, careers, and personal journeys. It takes the work of professors and administrative faculty to make that happen. One such administrator is Francisco Banuelos, Dean of Science, Mathematics, and Engineering, who emphasizes the innovative and economic importance of STEM education.
“There’s this marginal advancement that happens in science, in technology, where the advancements that happen every month used to take years,” he says.
Having grown up in the Central Valley, in a small town named Riverbank, Dean Banuelos would frequently travel with his family to Mexico during the farm labor seasons, completing half a year of school in each country from elementary school through middle school. After obtaining degrees in Economics and Spanish and completing his graduate work in Public Administration at CSU Stanislaus, he would eventually settle back down in the Central Valley, working at Modesto Junior College, West Hills Community College, and finally, COS, where he’s remained for the last five years.
As a Dean, Banuelos oversees faculty within the departments of Science, Math, and Engineering. To explain his role, he uses an analogy: “If I use a vehicle, I would describe it more as your transmission. You pretty much help translate everything that people should do, from senior at the college and to the faculty”.
Outside of his career, Banuelos’ passion for cars goes beyond an analogy. His hobby is working on his 1965 Mustang Convertible, which he describes as being completely rebuilt: “It’s a love-hate relationship because as much as I enjoy it, a classic car will always continually need work”.
He also has a love for nature and can be found hiking and exploring Yosemite and other national parks.
While Banuelos has been awarded fellowships and recognized for Excellence in Education and Academics at Modesto Junior College, he now finds more pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren as they themselves graduate and make their way through life.
In his closing words, Banuelos adds: “My biggest advice for students is to be persistent. Be determined, and don’t take failures as failures,
take them as learning opportunities. Those are the biggest things I want students to know”.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics options provided by COS, be sure to stop by the counseling office or visit https://www.cos.edu/en-us/student-support/counseling
