Greenfield Community College is pleased to announce that Dr. Michelle Schutt will serve as the college’s 11th president, effective July 18. Currently serving as the vice president of community and learner services at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), the state’s first Hispanic Serving Institution, Schutt was chosen from a competitive pool of four highly-qualified candidates.
Dr. Schutt’s appointment was approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education on June 21.
“From the moment I began researching Greenfield Community College, I was immediately drawn to the campus’s core values. I am honored by the opportunity to serve Greenfield Community College as its next president and I look forward to ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of the students, employees, alumni and community members we serve,” Dr. Schutt said.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Michelle Schutt to Greenfield Community College,” said Hector Toledo, chair of GCC’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Schutt is a strong and passionate leader who embraces the mission and vision of our institution and we are confident that she will be a tremendous addition to the community. In spite of the challenges higher education has faced, Dr. Schutt’s recent successes in enrollment, retention, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts show the outstanding potential she is bringing to GCC.”
Dr. Schutt will be taking the helm of GCC from Dr. Richard Hopper, who has served as interim president since August 2021.
With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Schutt has held leadership roles in all facets of education, including student affairs, academic services, and community learning. Dr. Schutt’s visionary leadership throughout her career has produced measurable enrollment and retention results. Notably, Schutt oversaw an enrollment increase of 3 percent at CSI during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, despite nationwide decreases due to the pandemic and an expected institutional decline of 15 percent.
Dr. Schutt is steadfastly dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, showcasing them throughout her career. At CSI, she undertook efforts to improve Latinx student enrollment, which grew by nearly 9 percent during her tenure, created greater access to non-English speaking services across all departments, and petitioned for gender-neutral restrooms on campus.
In addition to her most recent role as vice president of community and learner services, Dr. Schutt has served in a number of roles at CSI since 2015, including as vice president for student services. She has also taught college-level courses each semester and worked closely with state legislators on a variety of issues facing education. Prior to her work at CSI, Dr. Schutt held positions at Penn State University, the University of Wyoming, Hanover College and St. Cloud State University.
Dr. Schutt holds a bachelor’s degree in English education from Upper Iowa University, master’s degrees in teaching and social responsibility from Emporia State University and St. Cloud University, and a doctorate in education and human resource studies from Colorado State University. She attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University and was a 2021-2022 Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellow.
The College of Southern Idaho is a five-campus community college system with its home campus in Twin Falls, Idaho. CSI serves more than 13,000 students a year, with 58 percent of the student population being dual-enrolled or high school students. CSI offers transfer and professional technical programs, dual credit, and workforce development training.
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