West Los Angeles College
Dr. Mark W. Rocha
Dr. Mark W. Rocha is the seventh president of West Los Angeles College and began in office on July 10, 2006.
Dr. Rocha came to West from LACCD's Mission College where he served as Vice President of Academic Affairs. Over the past twenty years, Dr. Rocha's administrative career has included service as associate dean and dean in the California State University. An English teacher by trade, Dr. Rocha has taught at both the secondary and college levels, in LAUSD and the South Orange Community College District. He received his Ph.D. in English from the University of Southern California, his Masters from California State University, Fullerton, and his B.A. from Villanova University. In 1993, Dr. Rocha was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and taught for a year in Venezuela. His scholarly work is in the field of American drama and theater and includes publications on playwrights August Wilson and Tennessee Williams.
Dr. Rocha has two sons, Brendan, 16, and Samuel, 10, and resides in Irvine with his wife, Nancy. When he is not at his desk, Dr. Rocha is active in the community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Culver City Chamber of Commerce. A jogger, President Rocha has run three L.A. Marathons and looks forward to one more before he hangs up his Nikes!