New CEOs
Julius Edwards will become president of Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) on April 1. He comes from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, where he served in a range of senior leadership positions, most recently as vice chancellor of academic affairs.
Edwards’ professional experience closely aligns with EMCC’s focus on access, student success and meeting regional workforce needs, according to a release from the college. His leadership portfolio includes oversight of programs in agriculture, advanced automation and robotics, supply chain management, culinary arts and commercial driving, as well as experience teaching business courses as an adjunct faculty member.
Over his 13 years at Ivy Tech, Edwards served as vice president of business, logistics and supply chain; dean of business, logistics and supply chain, and public affairs and social services; director of the Transfer Center; senior assistant director of financial aid; and assistant director of financial aid.
Teresa Rich will become the 17th president of Yakima Valley College (YVC) in Washington after serving as its interim president since August 2024. Rich has been at YVC for 24 years, and has served for 18 of those years as vice president for administrative services.
Under her tenure as interim CEO, YVC worked to: strengthen transfer and workforce pathways through new university and industry partnerships; expand access through TRIO grants and waive application fees for regional residents; launch new academic programs in high‑demand fields; and reach the college’s highest fall enrollment since 2019.
During her time at YVC, Rich has supervised numerous capital projects, including the $22.7 million West Campus expansion that included a new conference center, allied health center, a vintners tasting room and a gallery. She has also worked in safety, security and emergency preparedness in higher education.
Rich has served on the Washington Community and Technical College Strategic Technology Advisory Committee and is a member of the Association of Government Accountants and Rotary International. She also serves on the board for Apprisen, a national non-profit focusing on consumer credit counseling.
CEO on the move
Steven R. Gonzales, chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona, has announced that he will leave the post at the end of June to become senior executive director of the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program at Kansas State University. Gonzales has served as CEO of the district system for six years during his 13 years there.
“For nearly three decades, I have dedicated my career to championing the power and promise of community colleges,” Gonzales said in a release. “This next chapter allows me to contribute in a different way — by supporting and preparing the next generation of leaders, including many who have served and will continue to serve right here within our system.”
Under Gonzales’ leadership, Maricopa Community Colleges — which includes 10 independent colleges — has seen record enrollment increases and launched the system’s first bachelor’s degree offerings. This year, enrollment in Maricopa’s bachelor’s programs is on pace to surpass 10,000 students, according to the district.
Gonzales has also led the system in:
- Expanding workforce-aligned certificate and degree programs to support Arizona’s economy
- Establishing the Maricopa Promise program
- Strengthening student support and basic needs initiatives, including the development of the Phoenix Scholar House for single-parent students
“Dr. Gonzales’ leadership has positioned Maricopa Community Colleges for long-term success,” said Susan Bitter Smith, chair of the Maricopa governing board.
Retirement announcement
Monica Posey, president of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College in Ohio, has announced plans to retire, effective August 31. Posey has served for 34 years at Cincinnati State, including the last 10 as president. She was the first African American woman president of a major educational institution in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
Under Posey’s leadership, Cincinnati State has reached its highest enrollment in more than a decade, serving over 14,000 students, according to the college. The college has also expanded its K-12 ties, with its College Credit Plus dual-enrollment program now serving more than 4,000 high school students in over 100 districts annually.
“These outcomes reflect a leadership approach grounded in collaboration, student success and strategic growth,” Jane Garvey, chair of the Cincinnati State board of trustees, said in a release.
Posey also worked to help students transfer to four-year institutions by developing career and transfer centers, where students can connect to schools like the University of Cincinnati and Miami University that hold articulation agreements with Cincinnati State.
Earlier in her career at Cincinnati State, Posey served as assistant dean, director of institutional research and planning, academic vice president and provost.
Posey’s professional activities include serving on the boards of the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative and Minorities in Mathematics, Science & Engineering. Her numerous professional awards and recognitions include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Convene for the Dream Award, the Leading Women of Cincinnati award, YWCA of Greater Cincinnati Career Woman of Achievement award, and the University of Cincinnati College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services Distinguished Alumni award.
Obituaries
Sherry L. Hoppe, who was president of Tennessee’s Roane State Community College for 12 years, passed away on January 25. She was 78.
Her career in education started as a high school teacher and guidance counselor. She transitioned to the role of coordinator of veterans’ affairs at Chattanooga State Community College, later became registrar and executive assistant to the president, and then moved into the position of dean of academics.
Hoppe’s next post was interim president at Nashville State Technical Institute (now Nashville State Community College) for several months, and then became interim president at Roane State before becoming its second permanent president, serving in the position from 1988 to 2000.
In 2000, Hoppe transitioned into interim president at Austin Peay State University, becoming the first community college president in the state to have the opportunity to serve as president of a four-year institution in the Tennessee Board of Regents system. She then became its permanent president — one of the first two women in the state to lead a Tennessee system university. She served in the role from 2001 until her retirement in 2007.
Hoppe was credited was stabilizing Roane State at a time when its enrollment was dropping by expanding the college’s programs and service areas. Under her leadership, Roane State established permanent campuses in Cumberland and Scott Counties, Oak Ridge and Knox County, with the latter location focused exclusively on health science education. The college also at the time made crucial advances in using technology, including distance education.
“Dr. Hoppe came to Roane State during very trying times. Enrollment was dropping in critical parts of our service area and the college needed to grow and adapt,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said in a release. “Dr. Hoppe met those challenges with an expansion of academic programs and the college’s footprint, which has become one of the core ways Roane State supports its students – the convenience of learning close to home.”
Frank P. Marczak, Jr., who served as president of Muskegon Community College (MCC) from 1995 to 2004 during his nearly three decades at the Michigan college, passed away on January 13. He was 85.
Marzak started at MCC in 1977 and held positions such as associate dean of mathematics, science, technologies and occupational education; interim dean of instruction and dean of faculty; and vice president/dean of faculty.
“Dr. Frank Marczak’s influence is still felt at Muskegon Community College today,” said MCC President John Selmon. “His leadership helped guide this institution through pivotal moments. He personally helped me during the first year of my presidency as a mentor and friend. He will be missed.”
Under Marczak’s leadership in various roles, MCC’s nursing program became a full college program in 1980, the Stevenson Center was constructed and opened in the mid-1990s and the college navigated the early days of campus internet access in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to the college.
Beyond MCC, Marczak participated in statewide higher education efforts, serving in leadership roles within Michigan’s community college system and professional associations. Marczak was also active in his retirement, teaching at MCC, Western Michigan University and Learning to Give and serving as executive director of USS Silversides Submarine Museum.
Appointments
Casey Crandall has been appointed executive director of the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation (New York). Crandall comes from the University of Albany, where for more than 18 years he held various positions in the university advancement division.
Boglárka Kiss is now dean of liberal arts at San Diego Miramar College. She previously was lead regional coordinator for Guided Pathways, instructional dean and economic development director.
At Volunteer State Community College in Tennessee, Ramona Yarbrough has been named vice president for academic affairs, and Tiffany Summers is now assistant vice president for student success. Yarbrough most recently was associate vice president of academic affairs at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. Summers previously was Volunteer State’s director of financial aid.
