New president appointed to BCC

New president appointed to BCC
Photo courtesy of CUNY

One of the borough’s community colleges has a new president with an impressive resume.

On Monday, June 29, the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York appointed Dr. Thomas Isekenegbe as president of Bronx Community College.

Isekengbe, who has an outstanding administrative, teaching and leadership record that spans nearly 30 years at both two-year and four-year institutions of higher education, was appointed to the position after serving as the president of Cumberland County College, a community college in Vineland, NJ, for the past six years.

Isekengbe’s appointment as president filled the empty slot left by former president Carole Berotte Joseph, who resigned in September 2014 after holding the position for three years.

Following a national search by the search committee, which included trustees, a CUNY college president, faculty, students and alumni representatives, CUNY Chancellor James Milliken recommended Isekengbe’s appointment to the Board of Trustees.

The nomination was approved unanimously.

BCC’s newly appointed president earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with honors from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a masters in science education as well as an Ed.S. and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Indiana State University.

As president of Cumberland County College, Isekenegbe developed and implemented a community-based planning effort that resulted in a strategic plan with three dimensions: student engagement and completion, leadership and service learning and economic and workforce development – a plan that lead to successful reaccreditation of the college by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

In 2014, the college was named to the White House Honor Roll for Service and Civic Engagement.

Under the leadership of Isekenegbe, the college also revised and enhanced its ‘Pathways to Leadership’ program, which focuses on professional and personal development for facility and staff and strengthened its ‘Leadership Cumberland County’, a citizen leadership program for civic, business and professional leaders in the county.

Isekenegbe now looks forward to taking the next step in his career at BCC.

“President Isekenegbe has an exemplary record of leadership and accomplishments at Cumberland County College,” said Milliken. “Throughout a distinguished career than encompasses administration, teaching, scholarship and community service, he is deeply committed to student success and has implemented effective strategies to enhance student achievement. We are confident that he will provide the same inspired leadership for Bronx Community College.”

“I am extremely honored and humbled by this appointment,” said Isekenegbe. “I am looking forward to working with the Chancellor, faculty, staff, students, alumni and the Bronx community to make Bronx Community College among the best community colleges in the nation.”

Reach Reporter Steven Goodstein at (718) 742–3384. E-mail him at sgoodstein@cnglocal.com.