President Dr. Vince Rodriguez oversees Orange County's first online community college, which has been serving students since 1976. With a student population of more than 53,000, Coastline provides exemplary programs leading to Associate degrees and certificates in more than 120 career programs.
College President
A pioneer in nontraditional education, Coastline College opened in 1976 as the first campus-free college in the United States - scattering classes among storefront locations throughout Orange County. A few years later, and many years before the Internet, Coastline introduced Distance Learning via television. Over the years, the COLLEGE WITHOUT WALLS evolved to teach courses both online and in brick-and-mortar classrooms.
Dr. Vince Rodriguez, Coastline College President
President Dr. Rodriguez has been with Coastline College for many years and a member of the Coast Community College District in California since 1998. He has worked as a classified employee, instructor, and administrator.
For nine years he was the Director of Distance Learning. In 2007, he became the Dean of Instruction for Distance Learning, where he served for five years. In July of 2012 he was VP of Instruction AND Student Services for a year, then in December of 2013, he became Vice President of Instruction. He was in that position for seven and a half years.
Coastline extends its gratitude for his many years of dedication and congratulates Dr. Rodriguez on becoming President of Coastline College, July 2021.
Dr. Rodriguez grew up in Orange, California. He graduated from Orange Coast College with an Associate degree and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology and a Master of Arts in education with an emphasis in distance learning and adult education. In 2011 he completed his study related to retention of online students while earning his doctorate in educational leadership from California State University, Long Beach.
While Dr. Rodriguez oversaw the distance learning program at Coastline, it accounted for nearly seventy-five percent of enrollments. He also provided leadership at each of Coastline's learning centers. He is a resident of Huntington Beach and, in his free time, volunteers as a coach and referee for the Costa Mesa region of the American Youth Soccer Organization.
As Coastline's Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Rodriguez was a Recipient of The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program
In May 2020, The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program announced that Dr. Vincent Rodriguez, then Vice President of Instruction at Coastline College, was one of 40 leaders selected for the 2020-21 class of the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship, a highly selected leadership program preparing the next generation of community college presidents to transform institutions to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success.
The Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce recognized Dr. Rodriguez as one of their emerging leaders during a special ceremony at their 2022 Business & Leadership Awards dinner on March 30, 2022, at Founder’s Village. Dr. Rodriguez was awarded a certificate of honor and will be listed as one of "Fountain Valley's 15 Finest Leaders" in the 2022 Business Directory publication, both online and in print.
"I am honored to receive this award from the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce in this position of trust and responsibility in advancing the future of a welcoming college for all members of our communities," Rodriguez said. "Coastline College embraces its dual mission of access and innovation, while we prepare for new and exciting approaches for serving students."
Annual Report 2022-2023
Coastline is focused on creating opportunities for success, providing a high quality, flexible education available to a wide range of students. "For 47 years, Coastline has been one of the most innovative colleges that is deeply committed to academic excellence and student success. We are a college beyond the campus, whether students take classes onsite or online, live near our campuses or hundreds of miles away. We are committed to guiding students through the successful completion of their educational goals while fostering a safe and welcoming environment that is equity-centered, where diversity is celebrated." -Vince Rodriguez, Ed.D., President, Coastline College.
Coastline Foundation
The mission of the Coastline College Foundation is to support students through scholarships, endowment, and other financial programs.
College Leadership
The Coastline leadership team includes presidents, deans, and senior administrators from the Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Newport Beach, and Westminster campuses.
Student Services
Coastline's Student Services is dedicated to serving and supporting our students to achieve their goals and succeed.