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Minnesota State Recognizes Three Presidents with Emeritus Status

ST. PAUL, Minn., April 17, 2019 – Acting on the recommendation of Chancellor Devinder Malhotra, the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities recognized three retired presidents with the title of President Emeritus.

Larry Anderson served as interim president or president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College from 2008 until his retirement in 2018. "President Anderson began an important conversation with the college community about what it means to be both a tribal and community college, and how all college stakeholders can live into that mission," said Malhotra. "And thanks to the partnership with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the college made progress on many fronts. This includes the 2017 accreditation the college received from the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium."

Joyce Helens served as president of St. Cloud Technical and Community College (SCTCC) from 2006 to 2017. "Under President Helens' 11 years of distinguished leadership, the institution became a comprehensive community college, opened new student support facilities, added programs to meet the changing needs of regional employers, and increased the enrollment of diverse students by nearly a third," said Malhotra. "President Helens proudly served her college, the region, and Minnesota State as a whole by advancing SCTCC's financial sustainability and promoting the economic development of greater St. Cloud." Helens also served as acting president of Rochester Community and Technical College during 2016.

Peggy Kennedy served Minnesota State Community and Technical College initially as interim president and then as president from 2011 until her retirement in 2018. "President Kennedy took on the challenge of bringing the recently formed multi-campus college closer together as a single college culture," said Malhotra. "She strengthened the college in many ways. She significantly improved M State's financial health. She diversified M State's funding by increasing the focus on grant development. She built partnerships to expand student access to college options and offer employers greater access to customized solutions for upskilling the workforce. And she secured funding to increase access to baccalaureate degrees in rural communities."

Malhotra concluded, "In recognition of the outstanding contributions and strong legacies that each of these three presidents has left behind, I ask that the board confer the well-deserved title of President Emeritus upon Larry Anderson, Joyce Helens, and Peggy Kennedy. Doing so not only honors these individuals, it also acknowledges their work on behalf of our students and the people of Minnesota."

The award of emeritus status is intended as a special honor for employees who have served with great distinction.

 

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