New MMCC President Carol Churchll hard at work

Published 4:34 am Thursday, July 26, 2007

By Staff
A few weeks into her new position as President of Mid Michigan Community College (MMCC), Carol Churchill has already reached some conclusions.
"The people here are truly committed to the students they serve," Churchill said. "We certainly have funding challenges, but we also have innovative faculty and staff, support in the community, and a strong foundation from which to continue growing."
The MMCC Board of Trustees began searching for a new president shortly after Ron Verch announced he would retire after 38 years with the college. In a process that included input from the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and the community, Churchill was selected from a pool of 25 candidates from several states and one foreign country. She began her position on June 25 and plans to spend the first few months on the job meeting people internally and externally, and listening to their ideas about the College and its future.
"I'm so excited about the opportunities here at Mid," Churchill noted. The staff and the community have made me feel very welcome. They exude pride in the College as well as the energy to make things happen. "With campuses in Harrison and Mount Pleasant, MMCC has so many ways to collaborate with business, social organizations, and other educational institutions. Together, we'll continue providing the high quality education that changes and enriches people's lives."
President Churchill brings a wide variety of experiences to MMCC. She spent 15 years at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac culminating her work there as Vice President for Student Services. Churchill then moved from Southwestern, which is similar in size to MMCC, to Macomb, the second largest community college in the state. Positions at Macomb included Dean of Student Success, and most recently, Vice Provost for Economic and Workforce Development.
"I value my time at Macomb. Working in the epicenter of the automotive industry taught me a lot about the economic foundation of Michigan industry, but Mid feels more like home to me," Churchill said. "My husband and I operated a farm for a number of years and we feel very comfortable in the heart of Michigan. We're looking forward to getting involved in the community and meeting people."
Churchill received an Associate in Arts degree from Southwestern Michigan College. From Western Michigan University, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and social science as well as a Master of Arts in educational leadership with an emphasis in human resource development. She is a recent graduate of the League for Innovation Executive Leadership Institute, which focuses on developing presidents to serve in community college systems.
Both Churchill and her husband, Jim, graduated from Marcellus High School and were long-time Cass County residents. They have three children and six grandchildren located in Washington, New Jersey, and Michigan.
Churchill is the daughter of Oydean and the late Donald McKenzie of rural Marcellus, and the daughter-in-law of the late Edith and Eugene Churchill of rural Cassopolis.