▁Agu ada ▁native , ▁and ▁his ▁father , ▁Antonio ▁Pérez - M oren o , ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁R inc ón , ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁Pérez ▁earned ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁Second ary ▁Education / So cial ▁Science ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁State ▁University ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁( S UN Y ) ▁One ont a ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁a ▁doctor al ▁degree ▁in ▁education ▁( Ed . D .) ▁from ▁S UN Y ▁Alb any ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ ▁The ▁B M CC ▁student ▁body ▁grew ▁from ▁over ▁ 1 6 , 3 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁when ▁Pérez ▁came ▁on ▁board , ▁to ▁over ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁Spring ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁degree ▁programs ▁the ▁college ▁offers ▁grew ▁from ▁ 2 0 ▁to ▁ 3 3 ▁in ▁that ▁time . ▁In ▁Spring ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁he ▁retired ▁from ▁being ▁president . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Community ▁College ▁Week ’ s ▁Top ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Associ ate ▁D eg ree ▁and ▁Cert ificate ▁Produ cers ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁B M CC ▁ranks ▁# 4 ▁among ▁community ▁colleg es ▁nation wide ▁in ▁grant ing ▁associate ▁degrees ▁to ▁minor ity ▁students ; ▁# 4 ▁among ▁community ▁colleg es ▁nation wide ▁in ▁grant ing ▁associate ▁degrees ▁to ▁African ▁American ▁students ▁and ▁# 1 0 ▁among ▁community ▁colleg es ▁nation wide ▁in ▁grant ing