As he said himself, “the most dangerous student is one without a vision,” but that wasn’t the case for Daniel Soliz, Ed.D. From being a first-generation college student, to being named the Director of Student Services & College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) at Allen ISD, Soliz has dedicated his professional life to a vision that supports educating and advocating for student success.
Aspirations to Accreditations
From an early age, education became a non-negotiable for Daniel Soliz. As he reflected on his upbringing in the small town of Alice, Texas and the hardships surrounding him, he realized that the key to creating a successful life was school. As he began to make real-life connections between education and work, he strived to create an accomplished life for himself.
“School was never off of the table and continued to be a priority of mine,” Soliz said. “I knew God’s dream for me was bigger than I could have ever dreamt for myself.” I have been able to attain that through His grace, and I also recognize that I’ve been blessed by the people who have paved the way before me and guided me through my professional journey.”
With that vision in mind, Daniel graduated high school early and attended Texas State University, getting a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. From there, Soliz found his niche at Kennedale Independent School District in Fort Worth, TX where he taught high school and later became a campus administrator at the age of 22. In 2019, he moved to Allen ISD where he worked in administration while also obtaining his master’s degree from Concordia University and his doctorate from Abilene Christian University. It was at ACU where he successfully defended his dissertation in Organizational Leadership. He currently serves as Allen ISD’s Director of Student Services & CCMR.
Empowered Through Education
A proud product of ACU’s doctorate program, Soliz acknowledges that the resources, staff involvement and structure of his doctorate degree far exceeded anything he’s experienced from other universities. “ACU’s program empowered me to tackle any challenge and equipped me with the skills I needed to navigate through organizational leadership.”
As he continued to further his career while studying, Daniel was able to take the knowledge he was acquiring in his online courses and apply it immediately, making learning exciting as he connected the dots in real time.
“You feel prepared to take on anything thrown at you,” he recalled. Now, at Allen ISD, with 20 campuses and 50+ administrators, he is prepared to navigate different perspectives and ideas from a leadership standpoint because of ACU. “It made me a more analytical and dynamic thinker and allowed me to become a more data-driven leader.”
Championing Students
His focus now is on giving back. Through his wide array of duties at Allen ISD, his main goal is to ensure students are getting the best career readiness opportunities and preparing them for future pursuits by providing critical foundational knowledge. As he guides students through the process of career exploration to career connections, his desire is for kids to better understand their strengths and make informed decisions about their future. In addition, he also ensures that the K-12 district implements consistent and equitable discipline while supporting each campus’ practices.
While his time as a student may be over, Soliz notes that he’s a life-long learner and will continue to take away from his time at ACU and the many experiences he’s been given along the way. Just like the professors, mentors, and fellow administrators that have come before him, Daniel plans to dedicate his life to being a champion for all kids and an advocate for Texas public schools.
“We have to teach students to see beyond today and look into their futures.” For Daniel Soliz, that was his saving grace, and he’s expectant about what the future holds for kids just like him.
Want to learn more about getting your Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership? Check out ACU’s 100% online education-focused degree programs.