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.”
QUINCY, Ill. – Quincy University announces Dr. Sarah Vordtriede-Patton as QU’s next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. She will assume the role on July 1, 2023. The current QU Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Teresa Reed, is retiring at the end of this academic year after a distinguished career as a faculty member and administrator.
Vordtriede-Patton has 30 years of experience in higher education, ranging from her early years as an instructor to serving as the founding dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics at Columbia College in Columbia, Mo.
“Quincy University is a transformative institution housed within a vibrant community,” said Vordtriede-Patton, PhD, EdS. “I am humbled and overjoyed that 30 years in higher education have prepared me to participate in charting QU’s future as part of President McGee’s leadership team.”
Within the last decade, Vordtriede-Patton’s work includes management and professional development of faculty and staff, assessment and coordination of academic departments, strategic planning, budget management, accreditation and assessment reviews, and oversight of recruiting, marketing and advising.
“Sarah Vordtriede-Patton is an exceptional academic leader and a superb teacher and scholar,” said Brian McGee, PhD, president of Quincy University. “A lifelong Midwesterner,
accomplished scientist, and former Army reservist, she will be a wonderful member of the QU community.”
In addition to her current role as the Dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics at Columbia College, Vordtriede-Patton is a VALUE Institute certified scorer for the Association of American Colleges & Universities and a peer reviewer for the Chicago-based Higher Learning Commission, one of the largest accreditors of colleges and universities in the United States. Before assuming her position at Columbia College, Vordtriede-Patton was the Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Iowa’s St. Ambrose University, where she worked for 15 years.
“Before her time at Columbia College, Dr. Vordtriede-Patton spent many years as a distinguished faculty member and administrator at St. Ambrose University, a Catholic university for which we have a high regard,” said Brian McGee, PhD, president of Quincy University. “She also earned her highest degree at another excellent Catholic institution. Dr. Vordtriede-Patton’s experience in Catholic and Christian higher education is an ideal match for our Catholic and Franciscan values at Quincy University.”
Vordtriede-Patton earned a PhD in Biology from St. Louis University. She also has an Education Specialist degree in Higher Education Administration from University of Missouri Kansas City. For eight years, Vordtriede-Patton served in the United States Army Reserve as a Medical Entomologist, including three years at the rank of captain.
“I look forward to partnering with the dedicated and accomplished QU faculty in guiding students in discovering and living out their full potential in service to their communities and society at large,” said Vordtriede-Patton.
In addition to her title as vice president for academic affairs, Vordtriede-Patton will be the first administrator at Quincy University to use the title of provost, a title often used for the chief academic officer at universities in the United States. The provost’s title has been used for many centuries in higher education and in church administration, including in the Roman Catholic Church. Vordtriede-Patton earned her bachelor’s degree at McKendree University, which, like Quincy University, is a member of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University is a small Catholic university emphasizing the sciences, liberal arts and the professions. Quincy University offers undergraduate, graduate and adult education programs integrating practical experience and Franciscan values. Faculty and advisors work with students to design customized success plans to help them graduate on time, find their passion and prepare them for life. QU is a member of NCAA Division II for intercollegiate athletics.
