The board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) announces the selection of Dr. DeRionne Pollard as the next president and CEO of the 105-year-old community college organization. Pollard is the first woman to take the helm and will begin her tenure this fall.
The selection comes after a rigorous national search and a special meeting of the board of directors.
“The community college sector is a cornerstone of America’s educational and workforce ecosystem for millions of Americans,” said Dr. Sunita “Sunny” Cooke, AACC Past Board Chair and chair of the search committee.
“The board is committed to ensuring that the next president is a visionary leader that can navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and realize innovative solutions to the increasing need for the affordable, accredited, and relevant educational opportunities provided by our colleges. Dr. Pollard’s impressive career has demonstrated that she is a leader among leaders. Her vision, energy, and passion will propel AACC and the sector forward to meet the evolving needs of learners and dynamic workplaces, integrate disruptive technologies, and produce critical workforce solutions for a global economy.”
Pollard currently serves as the president of Nevada State University and is a first-generation college graduate. She previously held the position of president at both Montgomery College in Maryland and Las Positas College in California.
“I am deeply honored to serve as the next president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges,” said Pollard. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead a national organization whose mission is urgently relevant to the future of our nation. Community colleges are where tomorrow is born — in classrooms filled with discoverers, doers, and difference-makers — and they are the solution to prepare essential workforce, close entry gaps, and fuel civic renewal in every corner of this country.”
“This role is more than leadership: it is a charge to reimagine what is possible when access, affordability, and excellence converge. My years at the College of Lake County, Las Positas College, Montgomery College, and Nevada State University have affirmed that when we center students, lead with purpose, and act with courage, we can transform lives and communities with fairness and dignity, and, for that, I am deeply grateful.”
Pollard follows veteran educator Dr. Walter Bumphus who has led AACC since 2010. Bumphus announced his retirement earlier this year. “I am grateful for the time that I have spent at AACC and am proud of the work that has been done to advance community colleges at a national level,” Bumphus said. “Passing the baton to a proven leader such as Dr. Pollard is an honor and I am confident that the organization and the nation’s community colleges will not just persevere, they will thrive under DeRionne’s leadership.”
Dr. Pollard was named one of Washington’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian Magazine, won a 2017 Academic Leadership Award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a Visionary Award from the Washington Area Women’s Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in English from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies in higher education from Loyola University Chicago.
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