Joanne Russell talks transition to Mesa Community College as VP of Academic Affairs
Newly hired Mesa Community College Vice President of Academic Affairs Joanne Russell plans to administer academic programs and related support activities, serving the needs of a diverse student body.
Russell officially began serving in her new role on July 9, 2024, and brings more than 25 years of distinguished leadership experience in higher education faculty and administrative roles.
Russell is one of 31 leaders chosen nationwide for the 2022-23 class of Aspen Rising Presidents Fellows, a highly selective leadership program that prepares the next generation of community college presidents.
In her variety of experiences, Russell acknowledged that every college has a unique culture, and it’s important to understand the history of an institution before making any changes to it.
Russell stated that a big focus for her is currently spending time learning more about the history, mission, vision, and values at MCC.
Russell previously worked at three different community college districts before coming to Mesa. These were the State University of New York, the Connecticut Community College system, and the City University of New York.
“But despite this experience in systems and at different colleges, I still have had to learn how the Maricopa district functions and understand its shared governance processes and what they do at the district’s level versus what happens at the college level. Learning much more about how the district functions has been important to me,” stated Russell.
Russell states that although many colleges will talk about student success, there’s a true commitment at MCC where faculty and staff are here to see students progress in their education and make steps in improving their lives and the lives of their family as a result.
Russell also acknowledged the importance of taking opportunities to visit various academic departments. She currently hosts a series of faculty meet and greets that are limited to about 15 or 20 faculty to get to know them better in small groups. She also mentioned participating in events at the college and getting to know people better as they all work together.
In her short time at MCC, Russell mentioned that she learned how Mesa is highly regarded by the community and admires the longtime staff and faculties commitment to students’ success such as supporting a student’s entire journey before and after college.
“I have always looked at the college with regard to how they’re supporting students through their entire trajectory at the college. So, looking at how we connect with students before they even get to college, how we facilitate their entry and their success in the first semester, how we ensure their progress and timely completion, and then their transition to a senior institution or to the workforce,” stated Russell.
With this information, Russell mentions looking at policies and processes to evaluate whether what the college has in place is helping students or hindering them, along with how they can improve the entire student experience.
Russell intends to collaborate with MCC’s grants department to review new opportunities and partnerships that support the college’s mission. Russell also noted existing collaborations with MCC staff to assist in fundraising for scholarships for students in need.
MCC’s recent leadership turnovers was also acknowledged by Russell and she states that a part of her role is to work with her colleagues in the senior leadership team to provide stability and develop a long-term plan that leverages the unique strengths and culture of Mesa Community College.
Russell states that the college is preparing for its 10 year reaffirmation of accreditation.
This process contains a focused evaluation to ensure the quality of an institution’s educational programs and adherence to federal regulations.
Russell said that she will use the information from the self-examination as an opportunity for growth and moving forward.
“One of my top priorities is to use the information that the college is already gathering about its own strengths and challenges to develop a strategic plan and an academic plan that moves the college forward. Part of that will involve looking at all of our programs and identifying resources for programs to grow or identify areas where we need new programs,” stated Russell.
Russell also mentions wanting to improve the college experience for students and providing the proper support for those in need.
“I’m also working closely with our VP for student affairs to see how we can collaborate to improve the Thunderbird experience even more here at Mesa Community College. So, in a nutshell my focus will be on continual improvement in our programs and services for students,” added Russell.
