August 29, 2022

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) announced that Dr. Michael Gavin, president of Delta College, is one of 26 leaders selected for the 2022-23 class of the Aspen New Presidents Fellowship.

This program, made possible with support from JPMorgan Chase, supports community college presidents in the early years of their tenure as they work to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success.

“I am excited to learn from some the nation's foremost experts on advancing Delta College's defined direction of ensuring all students gain access to a better life as a result of the education we provide,” said Gavin. “From Aspen, I know Delta will be poised to focus on ensuring all students, no matter where they come from or their identity, or experiences, belong in the academic community at Delta.” 

This class of fellows represent the diversity of our nation’s community colleges, collectively serving over 250,000 students at colleges across the nation, in urban, suburban and rural areas. The incoming class of New Presidents Fellows is 46 percent female and 65 percent are people of color. Located in 19 states, their institutions too are diverse, from a tribal college with fewer than 300 students to an urban college that educates more than 35,000 each year.

The fellows, selected through a competitive process, will work closely with other transformational community college presidents and Aspen leaders over nine months to learn from field-leading research, analyze their colleges’ student outcomes and clarify their visions for excellent and equitable outcomes for students while in college and after they graduate.

“The quality of our nation’s community colleges depends on the quality of our college presidents,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program. “I am continually inspired and motivated by the dedication and expertise that our fellows bring to the work of advancing excellence and equity on their campuses, and I look forward to seeing the changes they make in real time to improve outcomes for their students.”

For bios and photos of all 26 leaders, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org.