Dr. J. William Wenrich
For immediate release — Jan. 23, 2009
(DALLAS) — Two former Dallas County Community College District administrators — Dr. J. William Wenrich and Dr. Walter Bumphus — have been honored with the 2009 National Leadership Award from the American Association of Community Colleges. For more than 30 years, former DCCCD Chancellor Bill Wenrich and former Brookhaven College President Walter Bumphus have served as distinguished educators who helped train the next generation of community college leaders and improved access to higher education for thousands of students.
AACC represents the nation's 1,200 regionally accredited community, junior and technical colleges, which serve more than 11 million students. Community colleges are the largest and fastest-growing sector of higher education, enrolling close to half (46 percent) of all U.S. undergraduates. AACC’s National Leadership Award is based on two criteria: outstanding leadership at the national level over an extended period of time, and a long-standing commitment to community colleges. Wenrich and Bumphus will be recognized during the opening session of AACC’s annual convention on April 4 in Phoenix.
“It is a personal and a professional honor to be able to recognize these two exceptional leaders,” said Dr. George R. Boggs, AACC president. “Their commitment to mentoring new leadership during decades of major growth for our colleges and to championing access and success for students is unparalleled.”
Dr. Wright Lassiter Jr., DCCCD’s current chancellor, said, “The Dallas County Community College District has been fortunate to have strong leadership over the years at both the college and district levels. We are proud of the accomplishments of both Dr. Wenrich and Dr. Bumphus. They have earned many accolades during their careers, and the AACC 2009 National Leadership Award reflects the fact that they are role models in higher education as well as individuals who are dedicated to helping students achieve their goals and dreams. We congratulate both former DCCCD administrators.”
Wenrich began his career in education in 1968 at the College of San Mateo as assistant to President Bob Ewigleben shortly after a riot broke out on the campus. He helped design and implement a plan to get the college back on track. Six years later, he returned to the San Mateo Community College District as president of Canada College. He has nearly 40 years of higher education leadership experience, serving as president of Ferris State University (Michigan) and Santa Ana College (California). He served as chancellor of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (1979-1984) and the San Diego Community College District (1988-1990).
In 1990, he became chancellor of DCCCD, Texas’ largest undergraduate institution, and the system experienced rapid growth under his leadership. He initiated several innovative programs, including the district’s Rising Star program, which guarantees a full scholarship to all Dallas County high school students who graduate with a B average and demonstrate economic need.
Wenrich retired as chancellor emeritus of DCCCD in 2003 but not from his service to community colleges. He currently is involved with Achieving the Dream, a national multiyear initiative aimed at helping more community college students succeed, with a particular focus on underrepresented populations. He also serves on the national advisory board for AACC’s 50-Plus Initiative, a three-year initiative aimed at engaging the population of workers age 50 and above in learning, training and retraining, and voluntary service. He also works for the American Council on Education as a consultant to recruit future community college leaders as fellows in ACE’s leadership program.
Wenrich has mentored several generations of future community college leaders. He has consulted on, written and published more than 20 books and articles regarding key issues community colleges face. He is former board chair for the League for Innovation in the Community College, a former board member of the American Council on Education, and past president of the Texas Association of Community Colleges. Wenrich holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, plus master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan.