BALTIMORE — A new leader is taking the helm at Baltimore City Community College, the school announced Wednesday.
Dr. Debra McCurdy was named the 14th President of BCCC, replacing Dr. James H. Johnson Jr. who served for the past 10 months in an interim role following the retirement of Gordon May in July of 2018.
“Dr. McCurdy was the clear choice to lead BCCC in a new direction. Her proven leadership and experience will rejuvenate the college and set it on a path to sustained growth and success,” Kurt Schmoke, chair of the BCCC board of trustees, said.
McCurdy brings more than 30 years experience as an administrator, with her previous job serving as the president of Rhodes State College in Lima, Ohio, where in 11 years she oversaw the institution’s expansion in degree offerings and reaccreditation, a release from BCCC said. She also brings experience cultivating technical programs and workforce development.
“BCCC has tremendous potential for growth in both its academic and workforce offerings. We will continue to develop and promote quality programs the lead to transfer to four-year institutions or directly into high-demand, good-paying jobs,” McCurdy said.
Her resume includes serving as the provost and CEO for Dunwoody Campus at Georgia Perimeter College, assistant and associate provost at Clark Atlanta University, as the Woodrow Wilson Fellow and Vice President for academic affairs at Paul Quinn College in Texas, and as the assistant dean of academic affairs at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
“The entire faculty welcomes Dr. McCurdy to BCCC. The College still has work to do so that we can best serve our students and the community. The Faculty Senate is ready to work with Dr. McCurdy and her administration to increase our student enrollment, improve graduation rates and enhance institutional assessment,” said Dr. Chima Ugah, President of the Faculty Senate. “The College is looking forward to a fresh start, working in a more collaborative and cooperative environment to help shape the future direction of the College and improve transparency and accountability in the governance process. The Faculty Senate appreciates that Dr. McCurdy has chosen to bring her governance expertise and skills to serve the College.”
