Award-winning Moorpark College president to retire in coming months
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

More time to travel, read and walk her new puppies sounds pretty good to Eva Conrad.

The Moorpark College president, who will retire this summer, is also looking forward to more time with her family in Westlake Village, but she said she'll miss spending her days with students and faculty members.

"The thing I'm going to miss the most is the people at Moorpark College. They are friendly, warm and kind," she said.

Conrad and Mark Rafter, her husband of 27 years, have both enjoyed long careers in education. Rafter, a psychology professor at College of the Canyons in the Santa Clarita Valley, will also be retiring in a few months.

"While raising a family and working on careers we didn't have much time to play together, so now we'll have more time to read and walk our new puppies," Conrad said.

Having earned her master's and her doctorate at the University of Arizona, Conrad was a psychology professor at San Bernardino Valley College for 18 years before moving into educational administration.

She came to Ventura County in 1997 to serve as executive vicepresident of Moorpark College and was selected president in 2002. The college now serves about 14,000 students.

The eighth president of Moorpark College, Conrad received the Leadership Award for Administrative Excellence sponsored by the Association of California Community College Administrators in 2002. Her commitment to the profession exemplifies creativity and innovation, volunteerism, and commitment to the college and community, according to the association.

And just last month Conrad received the Visionary Award from the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce during its annual installation dinner.

She said her tenure as president of Moorpark College has been challenging, productive and fun.

Moorpark College serves every person who seeks a higher education, and it continuously evolves to meet the needs of the community, Conrad said.

"We have a wonderful group of faculty with bright ideas. It's been a real joy and challenge to keep up with their innovative and ambitious ideas", she said.

To serve the needs of a diverse student population, college leaders have collectively created several new programs in recent years, including the accelerated adult education program for working adults and the High School at Moorpark College, which is managed in collaboration with the Moorpark Unified School District.

Moorpark College has also joined with other college leaders to boost educational and career opportunities for local students.

"President Conrad has served the college and district very well," said Larry Miller, president of the Ventura County Community Colleges District board of trustees.

"She is a leader; she has a wonderful vision for the college and its future and has done much to implement the programs and services that help students," Miller said.

Conrad will officially retire on July 2 after 33 years of service to California community colleges. A retirement party will be hosted in her honor on May 18 at the Westlake Village Inn.

The VCCC board of trustees will interview for a new president in April, Conrad said. She listed some of the attributes she deems necessary for success in the position.

"Moorpark College needs a person in charge who never gets tired and who is willing to be a leader from the front of the parade as well as from the back of it. He or she needs to know when to talk and when to listen," Conrad said.