Syed Muhammad R. Naqvi | Dean School of Business and Industry

Syed Muhammad R. Naqvi is the Dean School of Business and Industry at Odessa College, where he has been a pivotal part of the faculty since 2014. Starting as a student in 2010, he earned his AAS in Welding in 2014 and quickly transitioned to teaching, becoming a full-time Associate Professor in 2015, Department Chairman in 2019 and Dean SOBI in 2026.

Mr. Naqvi holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and is a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI). With over 13 years of welding experience and 10 years in inspection, he brings extensive industry knowledge to his educational leadership.

A key achievement under his leadership is strengthening the curriculum by implementing the Lincoln Electric Education Partner School (LEEPS) program in 2022, which introduced a nationally recognized, certification-driven welding curriculum. Since then, enrollment has grown from 250 to over 950 students, with graduates earning up to 40 certifications each and more than 90% securing employment before completing their training. The program is offered at zero cost to students, increasing accessibility.

Mr. Naqvi has strengthened industry partnerships and leads a very strong Welding Advisory Board, certified all Odessa College welding instructors in NC3 LEEPS, and positioned the college as a national model for welding education. Under his leadership, the department has earned numerous accolades:

Nationally, Mr. Naqvi serves as a Master Instructor with NC3, training educators across the U.S., and was named NC3 Lincoln Electric Instructor of the Year in 2024. Locally, he was honored as Odessa College’s Outstanding Employee of the Year in 2022.

Looking ahead, he aims to expand the overall growth of the school and to serve more students by improving the quality of education by integrate cutting-edge technologies, striving to make Odessa College the Best Community college in the Nation.