Vice President Placement

Montgomery County Community College names Mr. William McDonald as Vice Provost for Finance and Enrollment Services

Following an extensive nationwide search, Montgomery County Community College is pleased to announce that William (Bill) McDonald has joined MCCC as the Vice President of Finance and Enrollment Services.

“Bill McDonald brings more than 30 years of impactful leadership in higher education finance and administration, spanning fiscal stabilization, enrollment growth and strategic planning,” said Dr. Vicki Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President. “I am delighted to welcome Bill to my senior leadership team and the Montco family, and I look forward to working together to advance the College’s strategic priorities.”

McDonald’s expertise includes financial strategy, multi-year budgeting, capital planning, student financial services and revenue optimization across enrollment, tuition policy and auxiliary operations.

“Since starting at Montgomery County Community College, I have felt truly welcomed to the team,” McDonald said. “I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the College’s strong commitment to student success by building upon its financial strategies and supporting its continual growth and development.”

MCCC’s leadership team includes Dr. Jenna Meehan, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Chief of Staff; Diane O’Connor, Vice President of Administrative Services; and Dr. Chae Sweet, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and Provost.

Prior to MCCC, McDonald most recently served as Vice President for Finance and Administration at Marywood University, where he managed a $125 million operating budget, $65 million endowment, and $90 million debt portfolio, while serving as a key member of the president’s executive leadership team.

Prior to Marywood, McDonald spent more than three decades at Bloomfield College, ultimately serving as Vice President for Finance and Administration. In this role, he guided finance, human resources, student financial services, information technology, facilities, operations, and strategic initiatives for a tuition-dependent private college serving primarily first-generation, low-income students while navigating enrollment and funding challenges. He managed a $66 million operating budget, oversaw more than $100 million in capital improvements, and advanced revenue-focused strategies aligned with enrollment, affordability, and auxiliary services.

McDonald holds a Master of Science in Management from Thomas Edison State College and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration from Bloomfield College. He also completed the College of Business Management Institute Program of the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers at the University of Kentucky.

Monroe Community College names Dr. Craig Ross as Vice President for Administrative Services and CFO

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Craig M. Ross, Ph.D. as Vice President of Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer. Dr. Ross brings a dynamic blend of higher education, operational leadership, and financial expertise to MCC.

Dr. Ross also has a rich background in higher education, including tenures at SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo. Welcome to the Tribune family, Dr. Ross!

Holyoke Community College names Dr. Marlowe Washington as Vice President of People, Culture and Equity

HCC welcomes first vice president of people, culture, and equity

HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Marlowe Washington, Ed.D., D.Min., as its first vice president of people, culture, and equity.

In this executive-level position, Washington serves as a strategic partner to President George Timmons, the HCC Cabinet, and all campus constituencies to advance culture, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Washington comes to HCC following his work as the inaugural senior diversity officer at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, N.Y., where he oversaw the continuation of the university’s efforts supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Washington recently moved to Springfield, Mass., but maintains a residence in Rochester, N.Y., where he is pastor of the Agape Fellowship United Methodist Church.

He started his position at HCC on Monday, July 8.

“I am here, first of all, because the president’s vision really resonated with me,” Washington said. “He said, ‘I want to save lives,’ and you don’t normally hear that from a college president. That’s not what they talk about. That was what sold me, because education is the great equalizer. It was for me in my personal life, as it was for President Timmons.”

Washington is a New York City native who grew up in the Bronx.

A first-generation college graduate, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, N.Y., a master’s degree in divinity in urban ministry and planning from the New York Theological Seminary in Manhattan, N.Y., a doctorate in ministry from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, N.Y., in transformational leadership and cultural intelligence, and a doctorate in education from St. John Fisher University in executive leadership in higher education.

“I am very excited about the hiring of Dr. Washington as our inaugural vice president for people, culture, and equity,” said Timmons. “I am excited about this enthusiasm, his excitement to be part of our team, to be part of our mission and vision. Being a first-generation college graduate and understanding the population we serve is really important.”

In his role, Washington will oversee the Human Resources department, Title IX (federal prohibition against sex and gender discrimination), the college’s Affirmative Action officer and interim executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

He is married to Mira Washington, a human resources professional. They have two adult children and three grandchildren. His office on the fourth floor of the HCC Kittredge Center is already filled with photographs of family members and other young people whom he calls his “surrogate children.”

“They call me papa or dad or whatever,” he said. “I have a very strong relationship with them, and that’s what I love about higher ed, because it’s not just about educating, it’s developing relationships. Really, 90 percent of diversity, equity and inclusion is about building relationships and building social connection. That’s what I’m aiming to do here at HCC.”