Drs. Walter and Aileen Bumphus Endowment

With more than three decades of service, husband and wife Drs. Walter and Aileen Bumphus have established unprecedented leadership in education. Their distinguished careers span a variety of roles including primary school and college administrator, college president, and system chancellor. “We both have an interest and desire in furthering the education of those coming behind us,” says Aileen. “Walter will do whatever it takes to make sure there are opportunities for those who traditionally don’t think education is for them.”
Dr. Walter Bumphus currently is president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and Dr. Aileen Bumphus serves as executive director of the University of Texas at Austin’s Longhorn Center for Academic Excellence Gateway Scholars Program.

Before assuming the presidency of AACC, Dr. Walter Bumphus was a professor in the Community College Leadership Program and chair of the Department of Educational Administration at UT-Austin. He served as president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College, and president of Brookhaven College in Dallas County Community College District. Dr. Walter Bumphus holds the distinction of being one of the few leaders in the field of education to receive the Marie Y. Martin CEO of the Year award from the Association of Community College Trustees, to chair the AACC Board of Directors, and to receive the AACC Leadership award.

During her career, Dr. Aileen Bumphus has worked as a university instructor and a public school speech pathologist, special education team leader, and language development teacher. She also has served as an elementary school principal and was selected to receive the UT-Austin Enrique Romo Staff Excellence award in 2009.. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Aileen Bumphus understands firsthand the challenges facing many college students. She is designing programs to maximize the academic success and social connections of new first-generation and underrepresented students at UT-Austin.