BOSTON (December 1, 2021) – Dr. Valerie Roberson, who has been President of Roxbury Community College (RCC) since 2013, will leave the position after a successful transition to the appointed interim president. “It has been an honor and a privilege to lead Roxbury Community College,” Dr. Roberson said. “I’m proud of the progress the College has made in the past eight and a half years and am confident I am leaving the institution in a stronger position than it was when I started.”
Dr. Roberson led the College through a time of growth despite many obstacles, including the pandemic, according to RCC Board of Trustees Chairman Sheriff Steven Tompkins. “The positive impact of Dr. Roberson’s leadership will be felt for years to come. Her commitment to improving the lives of RCC students and serving the Roxbury community are greatly appreciated.” College trustees will nominate an interim president. Their choice will need approval by the state Commissioner of Higher Education.
Dr. Roberson has steered RCC through difficulties including stabilizing the College’s finances, getting RCC removed from the Department of Education Heightened Cash Monitoring list, and overseeing the relaunching of the Roxbury Community College Foundation. During the pandemic, Dr. Roberson oversaw the transition from in-person to remote classes, raised millions in new grants, secured gift cards for students in need, created new mental health resources for students, and launched the RoxSTARS program to connect students with laptops and hotspots at no extra cost.
“In my time as chair, I witnessed Dr. Roberson’s steadfast leadership and commitment to providing students with a high-quality educational experience. She was willing to make difficult decisions that led to transformative change,” says former RCC Board of Trustees Chair and CEO of Year Up Gerald Chertavian. “Her tireless work to ensure that RCC serves a beacon of opportunity is the hallmark of her legacy.”
Under Dr. Roberson’s leadership, RCC has built relationships with business leaders that have led to workforce readiness programs designed to give RCC students marketable skills in high-growth fields, including the launching of the Center for Smart Building Technology. Dr. Roberson oversaw the $72.5 million renovation project that modernized every building on campus. She received a 2018 Leventhal Award for her leadership of the school’s $20 million Renewable Energy Project that includes a 3,000-panel solar canopy above one of the parking lots. In 2020, RCC was named a Bellwether Award Finalist for its innovative program to eliminate developmental courses from the math curriculum. Earlier this year, AcademicInfluence.com named Roxbury Community College (RCC) the second most influential community college among their ranking of the 50 Best Community Colleges in the nation.
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About Roxbury Community College:
Founded in 1973, Roxbury Community College (RCC) is a comprehensive, multicultural, urban, student-centered, open-access community college. RCC offers associates degree and certificate programs, online courses, corporate and community education programs, and lifelong learning programs. For more information on Roxbury Community College, visit www.rcc.mass.edu.
