Tri-C President Dr. Alex Johnson Welcomes Local Education Professionals Into New Community College Leadership Doctorate Program

Cohort of 29 Community College Professionals from the Northern Ohio Region Accepted into New Blended-learning Community College Leadership (CCLP) Doctoral Program offered by the Roueche Graduate Center (RGC) at National American University

As part of an innovative succession-planning initiative at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), a cohort of 29 community college professionals, ranging from faculty members and program directors to deans and vice presidents, recently participated in an official orientation session and program kick off at Tri-C’s Unified Technologies Center in Cleveland as part of their acceptance into a blended-learning Education Doctorate (Ed. D.) Community College Leadership program (CCLP) offered by the Roueche Graduate Center of National American University.

Dr. Alex Johnson, president of Tri-C, welcomed the cohort into the program, thanking them for committing to three years of academic study and research required to earn the Ed.D. “This is going to pay huge benefits and dividends to the institution,” Johnson said. “We get to have a trained cadre of individuals, educated and experienced whom we can consider for different opportunities that may become available as part of our succession-planning program.”

Succession planning has grown in importance in recent years as an increasing number of Baby Boomer-aged education professionals in leadership positions at community college consider retirement. “The opportunities this program brings are going to be tremendous,” added Tri-C CFO and Treasurer Dr. Craig Foltin. “We have put a lot of faith in this cohort and a lot of confidence in their leadership abilities. They have the potential to take us to the next level and be college president and provost material.”

“With with our focus on student success and completion, we now have a ready-made group of individuals who can engage in research and continue to extend and advance our culture of evidence and inquiry as these professionals progress through the program and contribute to the college and field,” Johnson explained.

Dr. John E. Roueche, a familiar name in the community college sector, is president of the Roueche Graduate Center, which is based in Austin Texas. Dr. Roueche previously served as professor and director of the CCLP at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin for 41 years. Last year he moved to National American University to create a new and advanced blended-learning CCLP. The program’s first official cohort, enrolled and taking courses since March 2013, is comprised of community college working-professionals who live and work in either Kansas or Colorado. Through both online and face-to-face instruction and interaction, these students are able to attend classes close to home and office, while being part of a national learning community and network of distinguished community college professionals. RGC leaders are currently working with community college CEOs and presidents from around the country to identify additional student cohort locations.

For more information about the Ed.D. CCLP, visit http://www.national.edu/programs/roueche-graduate-center-2/.