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DeAnna Burt-Nanna appointed MCC's next president

Incoming MCC president DeAnna Burt-Nanna
provided photo
Incoming MCC president DeAnna Burt-Nanna

Monroe Community College will be getting a new president. Officials with SUNY announced on Tuesday that DeAnna Burt-Nanna has been appointed the college’s sixth president; she begins on May 21, 2021.

Burt-Nanna succeeds interim president Katherine Douglas who took the role in February after Anne Kress announced in October 2019that she was leaving MCC to lead Northern Virginia Community College. Kress led MCC for a decade.

Burt-Nanna is currently vice president of student and academic affairs for South Central College in Minnesota. She has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and is described as a “a staunch advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, educational access and attainment, philanthropy, and workforce development at local, state, and national levels.”

MCC Board of Trustees Chair Barbara Lovenheim  said that having a focus on diversity and inclusion is  an important emphasis for the college.

“We have, particularly our downtown campus, is 40% minority and we wanted to really concentrate on those issues," Lovenheim said. "Of course Rochester, as you know, has had issues, and we really want to make sure that we face those issues at the college."

Lovenheim noted that students were part of the interview process.

“We had a student trustee on the search committee and we had students interview her and the other final candidates during the interview process. So students were very much involved in the choice," Lovenheim said. 

Burt-Nanna's experience in student services and academic services and dedication to student success were also important considerations in the appointment according to Lovenheim. She said that the county and the city also were represented on the search committee for a new president.

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said, “With her student-centric focus, her advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as her keen business sense from both her academic and industry experience, Dr. Burt-Nanna will bring MCC to new heights.”

Burt-Nanna said in a statment, “Monroe Community College is a beacon of educational excellence and opportunity that is nationally known for its commitment to student success, innovation, and its significant impact on Rochester, Monroe County, and the Finger Lakes Region. I am honored to be selected as MCC’s next president and will work with MCC faculty, staff, and stakeholders to extend MCC’s legacy of educational excellence, innovation, and strong community partnerships.”

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.