Galen DeHay selected as a 2019-2020 Aspen Presidential Fellow

Galen DeHay, president elect at Tri-County Technical College, is among the 40 leaders nationwide selected by the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program to join the 2019-2020 class of the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence.

This highly selective leadership program is aimed at preparing the next generation of community college presidents to transform institutions to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success, both in college and in the labor market.

DeHay, the senior vice president on Tri-County Technical College’s executive leadership team, recently was named the College’s next president by the Commission. DeHay will succeed Dr. Ronnie L. Booth, who was named the College’s third president in 2003 and will retire June 30, 2019.

“When asked to nominate someone for the Aspen Fellowship, I immediately nominated Galen,” said Dr. Booth.  “The choice was obvious. He will gain much insight regarding national issues impacting higher education through this experience but he is well positioned to add significant and meaningful contributions to this conversation. He and his classmates will greatly benefit from this superb opportunity.”

DeHay and the 39 other Aspen Presidential Fellows will embark on a 10-month fellowship beginning in July 2019. Delivered in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative, the fellows will work with mentors – current and former community college presidents – who have achieved exceptional outcomes for students throughout their careers. Fellows also will learn from national experts about ways to harness data to assess student success outcomes, strategies for internal change leadership and how to create strong external partnerships with K-12 schools, four-year colleges and employers.

“Evidence shows that substantial improvements in student success are achieved only when presidents have the commitment and skill needed to lead change within their institutions and through partnerships in the community,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program. “These fellows have been chosen because they embody that commitment and, we believe, will build their skills even further to become transformational presidents.”

The Aspen Presidential Fellowship responds to a specific and growing need for a new generation of leaders who are well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future. Nationally, nearly 80 percent of community college presidents plan to retire in the next decade. The pathway to replace them has traditionally excluded women and people of color. The incoming class of Aspen Presidential Fellows is 65 percent female and non-binary, 43 percent are people of color, and their institutions vary widely in size and location.

DeHay was selected through a rigorous process that considered his abilities to take strategic risks, lead strong teams and cultivate partnerships, and focus on results-oriented improvements in student success and access.

To date, 33 Aspen Presidential Fellows are now sitting community college presidents at institutions that collectively serve more than 450,000 students nationwide.

For a bio and photo of DeHay and a list of the 2019-2020 class of Aspen Presidential Fellows, visit: http://as.pn/1ky.

The Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence is supported by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, College Futures Foundation, Greater Texas Foundation, JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.