One of 23 Community College Leaders Selected for a Fellowship Focused on Improving Access, Completion, and Post-Grad Success for Students
YUCAIPA, CA – Last week, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) announced that Dr. Tina King, President of San Diego College of Continuing Education, is one of 23 innovative leaders selected from across the country to participate in the third cohort of the Aspen Presidents Fellowship, supported by JPMorganChase. The fellows will engage in a unique year-long professional development experience that will help them refine and enact a reform agenda to help more of their students succeed both during and after college.
“Community colleges are evolving to meet the demands of today’s learners, equipping students with the skills and credentials that lead to real opportunities and good jobs,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program. “These 23 presidents have committed to ensuring their institutions deliver measurable results for every student.”
Through the year-long program, fellows will work with highly accomplished community college presidents, Aspen leaders, and each other to analyze their colleges’ outcomes and develop concrete plans inspired by field-leading practices. The curriculum includes real-world exemplars, data on student outcomes and in-demand jobs, and insights on how current practices align with research-proven strategies that drive high levels of student success.
This second cohort of Aspen Presidents Fellows reflects our country’s diverse talent: 65 percent are women, and 57 percent are people of color. They join a network of 433 fellowship alumni, 202 of whom are community college presidents today. Aspen connects and supports this growing network of community college reform leaders through targeted professional development, research briefings, and convenings at national conferences.
Dr. Tina M. King is a transformative educational leader guided by inclusive excellence, equity-mindedness, and institutional responsibility for student success. She has served across every sector of public education in California, beginning her career as a middle school teacher in the Compton Unified School District. A tireless advocate for students and educators, Dr. King is deeply committed to advancing equity, improving outcomes, and shaping effective public education policy.
She has launched comprehensive reforms to strengthen teaching, learning, and student success, including the San Diego Advance Noncredit and Credit Alignment partnership to create seamless pathways to degrees and certificates. She is also leading the $35 million renovation of the historic Educational Cultural Complex Theatre.
