Virginia Peninsula Community College’s Daniela Cigularova has been selected for the CIVIC Leadership Institute’s Executive Program class of 2027. Vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success at VPCC, she is among nearly 50 leaders from across Hampton Roads chosen.
The program gathers leaders from business, healthcare, education, the military and nonprofit organizations to share knowledge, build connections and address regional challenges. The group will meet monthly from September through May 2027 at locations throughout Hampton Roads.
Cigularova looks forward to the immersive professional development opportunity.
“I’m just truly honored to be selected,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to represent Virginia Peninsula Community College in a program that brings together leaders who are so deeply connected and care about the future of our region.”
She hopes the experience will deepen her understanding of the region’s needs and expand her network of community and workforce partners. Cigularova also believes it could help open doors to new opportunities for VPCC students as they move from enrollment through graduation and into careers.
“I hope to expand my network of community partners so that I can identify new opportunities for collaboration that can really benefit both our students and the community I serve,” she said.
Her higher education career spans more than 25 years in Europe and the United States. Cigularova joined VPCC’s leadership team in August 2023, after serving at Old Dominion University. At the university, she led academic success initiatives involving transfer programs, first-year student support, advising, internships, cooperative learning and TRiO programs.
A native of Bulgaria, Cigularova has lived and studied in several countries. She has a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from the University of Economics in Varna, Bulgaria, and a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Colorado State University. She also studied at the University of Vienna.
She speaks Bulgarian, English, Russian and German, and credits her international background for shaping her approach to leadership and collaboration.
At VPCC, she oversees enrollment management, records and registration, retention and student success initiatives, academic advising, Student Life and Leadership, the testing center, Great Expectations, TRiO support services, accessibility services and athletics.
Cigularova joins her colleague, Dr. Kerry Ragno, who was in the CIVIC Leadership Institute’s 2026 class.
She plans to bring what she learns back to the College, particularly by strengthening relationships with employers and community organizations.
“Ultimately, I want what I learn to translate into opportunities for our students, for our college, and for the communities we are all privileged to be a part of and to serve,” she concluded.
