Sam Agdasi
Dean of Business Education at Cerritos College, Norwalk, California
Sam Agdasi brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, including over 15 years in community colleges as a faculty member and academic administrator. His career has focused on advancing student success, supporting transfer pathways, strengthening STEM fields and career technical education (CTE), developing applied disciplines, and assisting faculty and academic programs. Sam has worked to align educational offerings with transfer requirements and workforce needs while maintaining attention to institutional effectiveness, student achievement, and lasting educational outcomes.
Leading the Business Education Division
Sam currently serves as Dean of the Business Education Division at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. His responsibilities include leadership for the Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Paralegal, Real Estate, and Business Communication and Office Technology departments. In this role, he emphasizes program quality, academic innovation, and student outcomes. He works closely with faculty and staff to improve instructional delivery, address student needs, and keep programs responsive to regional labor market demands.
Strategic and Operational Academic Management
Across his administrative roles, Sam has handled a wide range of academic and operational responsibilities. His work has included budget planning, curriculum development, program review, and faculty support. He has also guided dual enrollment initiatives and established partnerships with K–12 districts, four-year institutions, and industry. These efforts have expanded access while strengthening transfer and workforce pathways. Through collaborative leadership and the use of data in decision-making, he has helped support program sustainability, enrollment stability, and student achievement across several areas of study.
Administrative Experience at Different Colleges
Before joining Cerritos College, Sam served as Dean of Student Learning for the Business & Industrial Studies Division and the Social Sciences Division at Compton College in Compton, California. His responsibilities covered a broad range of academic and workforce programs, including business, industrial trades, and social sciences. He has also held administrative positions at large community colleges in California and at community colleges in the Midwest, including a multi-campus system.
In these leadership roles, he managed multi-million-dollar budgets, contributed to institutional and programmatic accreditation efforts, and expanded instructional delivery through traditional and online formats. His work involved overseeing complex academic divisions and aligning programs with both transfer requirements and workforce priorities. He also contributed to strategic planning initiatives that connected educational programs with regional economic development goals.
Building Programs and Developing Curriculum
Sam began his higher education career as a faculty member and program chair. During this stage of his career, he developed curricula and helped create new academic programs. He led the development of a nanotechnology program supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) funding. The program combined concepts from science, engineering, health-related fields, and applied technologies.
His work has also included participation in grant-funded initiatives supported by the National Science Foundation and workforce development programs such as Strong Workforce and Perkins. Through these projects, he helped broaden student opportunities by supporting internships, industry partnerships, and career pathways that connected academic study with workforce preparation.
Instructional Facilities and External Collaboration
Along with his academic responsibilities, Sam has participated in facilities planning and major instructional initiatives intended to provide equitable access to high-quality education. His work has contributed to connecting capital investments with long-term academic priorities and industry needs. These efforts have helped support modern learning environments that provide students with relevant training and educational opportunities.
He has collaborated with institutional leaders and external partners on projects designed to strengthen instructional infrastructure and improve access to quality learning spaces. His involvement in facilities planning has focused on ensuring that physical resources support academic programs and contribute to effective student learning and training.
Engineering Background and Research Work
Sam earned a master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology. His academic preparation in engineering and applied sciences has provided a technical foundation that continues to influence his approach to educational leadership.
After completing his graduate education, he worked as a Research Specialist in the Chemistry Department at Purdue University. He collaborated with an interdisciplinary group of researchers and further developed his analytical and problem-solving abilities. His STEM experience has supported his leadership and program development work in STEM, health, technical education, and other applied disciplines.
Expanding Educational Access and Equity
As an immigrant and first-generation college graduate, Sam understands from personal experience how education can affect future opportunities. His professional work has emphasized expanding educational access, supporting underserved communities, and building pathways that can lead students toward meaningful academic and career outcomes.
He has placed particular attention on creating opportunities for students to prepare for and succeed in high-demand fields. His efforts across transfer programs, workforce education, academic planning, partnerships, and student support reflect his interest in helping students pursue pathways that can contribute to long-term economic mobility.
Service to Colleges and Communities
Sam Agdasi has remained involved in community service and outreach throughout his career, including activities related to education, public health, and community development. During the pandemic, he participated in efforts involving COVID-19 vaccination clinics and helped coordinate faculty and student activities to produce protective equipment for healthcare providers.
His community involvement has also included presenting information about emerging technologies to senior citizens, supporting STEM events for K–12 students, and serving as a judge for regional science and engineering fairs. He has taken part in other service efforts that strengthen connections between educational institutions and their surrounding communities while encouraging public service and student engagement.
Professional Programs and Recognition
Sam has participated in professional leadership programs and received recognition for his contributions during his higher education career. He is a graduate of the "Great Deans" program offered by the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA).
Earlier in his career, the Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College selected him to participate in the Ivy Tech Leadership Academy. While at Purdue University, he received an Administrative and Professional Staff Advisory Committee Award and was also recognized for his service as a Wellness Ambassador.
Family, Interests, and Personal Perspective
Sam has lived and worked in Southern California and the Midwest, giving him experience with different community college environments and communities. He currently resides in Long Beach, California.
Outside of his professional responsibilities, he is committed to his family and actively supports his elderly mother. This personal responsibility has further shaped his perspective on resilience, responsibility, and the importance of dependable support systems.
In his personal time, Sam is interested in animal welfare and wildlife. He also enjoys reading history and watching classic films.
Continuing Commitment to Higher Education
Throughout his career, Sam Agdasi has worked to strengthen connections among academic programs, transfer pathways, and workforce needs while supporting institutional effectiveness and student success. His approach combines strategic academic leadership with a continued commitment to teaching, learning, and equitable access within community college education.
Looking ahead, he remains focused on strengthening STEM and CTE programs, expanding partnerships, and supporting students as they pursue their educational and professional goals. Equity continues to guide these efforts as he works to develop academic pathways that respond to student needs, educational priorities, and changing workforce demands.