RCC President Dr. Michael Anthony Baston to Speak at Four Virtual Panels on the Future of Higher Education 

As the world continues to navigate through the challenges posed by COVID-19, educators have had to adapt their campuses and ways of teaching. RCC President Dr. Michael Anthony Baston has been selected to speak at two important panels about these changes and how they impact the future of education. “Community colleges are critical resources for local school systems, underserved student populations and local worker pipelines,” he says. “In these times of great uncertainty, we must find innovative ways to succeed in our mission of educating students in a meaningful and safe manner. Keeping an open dialogue is vital and I invite the community to join me for these upcoming panels.

  • Colleges, COVID and Change,” hosted by Senior Writer Goldie Blumenstyk of the Chronicle of Higher Education on Monday, July 27 at 2 pm.Topics include: innovative community colleges in the midst of crisis, tie-ins to economic development with a focus on community colleges and things we can we learn from community college presidents. More information here https://zoom.us/webinar/register/7915949304237/WN_3K0CBqXaQ4OGuP8qJ-jbzw
  • “Inside Higher Ed—Resilient Colleges—Resilient People,” hosted by Scott Jaschik, editor of Inside Higher Ed on July 29th. Panelists include Mary Marcy of Dominican University and Tom Stritikus, President of Fort Louis College. More information here https://events.coursehero.com/education-summit/home
Dr. Michael A. Baston is the seventh President of Rockland Community College. A national leader who has helped develop comprehensive supports that ensure students finish college, Dr. Baston’s work has been featured on MSNBC, USA Today, The Atlantic, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Community College Daily, The Community College Times and Black Enterprise MagazineHe is also a contributing author to Race, Education, and Reintegrating Formerly Incarcerated Citizens and The Handbook for Student Affairs in Community Colleges.

Dr. Baston was a member of the inaugural class of the Aspen Institute Presidential Fellows for Community College Excellence where he explored systemic issues affecting the educational access pipeline and student success. As a national Guided Pathways coach for American Association of Community Colleges, he is noted for his work with college leadership teams around the nation, helping them integrate student success initiatives to advance college completion. Dr. Baston is the Co-Chair of Jobs For The Future’s Policy Leadership Trust, a Commissioner of American Association of Community College’s Commission on Institutional Infrastructure and Transformation and member of the National Advisory Board of Center for Community College Student Engagement. 

Dr. Baston began his career as a public interest lawyer representing various educational institutions and social justice organizations. His work with academic clients led him to pursue a second career in academia as both a professor of legal studies and business and a student affairs administrator. Dr. Baston holds a BA from Iona College, a JD from Brooklyn Law School and an EdD from St. John Fisher College.

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