Any scientist worth his sodium chloride will tell you that numerous experiments must be conducted before a conclusion can be reached. After all, a hypothesis can only be proved or disproved after many trips up and down the scientific method.
When Nassau Community College (NCC) expressed interest in hiring Dr. Donald Astrab as their fifth president, the chemist, biologist and laboratory regular knew it was time to evaluate his accomplishments and expertise.
Astrab knows quite a bit about being a part of a large academic institution. He brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education to the table, both at the community college and university levels.
“As I gained experience, grew and got promoted through the academic structure of institutions, I got to a point when I realized that I’ve got the background and this is something I shouldn’t shut my eyes to,” said Astrab, 52, who took over as president in November 2009. “Colleagues were telling me that I was ready and that this was the next logical step.”
Typically, when a college has an opening, officials organize a search firm to send emails out to different colleges and universities as a way of inquiring about possible candidates. Astrab would receive these emails almost weekly from schools all over the country, but there was something about NCC that immediately heightened his interest.
“I started to get a sense that this was a school that had the history, reputation and resources that I was attracted to,” he said. “It was the only school I applied for over the last year, the only one I had any real interest in.”
However, interest alone isn’t enough to land you the top position in any organization. Once he and the officials at Nassau communicated their willingness to vet each other out, he immersed himself in the culture and daily operations of the community college.
It was during this time that Astrab began to envision himself as the president of, what he called, “New York’s flagship community college.”
“That was the toughest part,” he said. “During that time, you get to know the community and the school. While still an outsider, you begin to know and feel a lot about the school. It becomes a part of you, but you’re not a part of it.”
Most recently, he was the vice-president for academic affairs and chief learning officer at Brevard Community College in Florida, his home for the last 18 years.
Prior to that, Astrab spent time at the University of Hawaii at Manoa earning his Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry and an MPH in environmental-occupational health management. There, he met his wife, Meritiana, with whom he has two daughters, sixth-grader Leilani and University of Florida sophomore, Cheyenne.
While his family is used to the balmy beach climates of Hawaii and Florida, Astrab grew up along the Hudson River in Westchester. Surrounded by the picturesque landscape of upstate New York, Astrab attended SUNY Oswego and double majored in biology and chemistry.
“My New York education prepared me to compete at the world level,” he said. “My mother and father always emphasized that getting an education was essential for getting ahead. That influence and support would be a pathway for me someday to earn a career and support a family.”
These days, Astrab supports his family, as well as an entire student body. One of his top priorities upon arriving at NCC is to expand access so that everyone has a chance at the college experience. That could mean more after-hours classes, more online courses and a host of other options.
“We’re looking to reach a whole different realm of the community and students,” he said. “Some may not come to college because of a lack of access. For these people, we need to make sure there are other avenues for them to explore and thrive in.”
Astrab himself has thrived in an environment made possible by hard work, determination and a staunch belief in never being satisfied. And for this man of science, it all comes back to the basic search for cause and effect relationships in nature.
“What I am able to do and how I will be remembered is all to be defined,” he said. “Success comes from a cumulative effort to put forth your best and challenge yourself.”
