Dr. Shawnda Floyd
Contact: Alex Lyda;
alyda@dcccd.edu
For immediate release — Aug. 5, 2021
(DALLAS) — Drs. Shawnda Floyd and Iris Freemon of Dallas College are among 40 leaders selected to join the 2021-2022 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship program, a highly competitive leadership program that prepares the next generation of community college presidents to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success at their respective institutions.
In order to meet the growing need for a diverse new generation of leaders among community colleges, each Rising Presidents Fellow will embark on a 10-month fellowship beginning in November 2021. While the traditional pathway to a college presidency has often excluded women and people of color, the incoming class of Aspen Rising Presidents Fellows is composed of 68 percent women and 70 percent people of color, and represents institutions of varying sizes and locations.
Dr. Floyd was appointed Dallas College’s first provost in June 2020 and serves as the primary academic lead for the college, overseeing a team of vice provosts and e-learning administrators while leading other academic services at the college, including faculty professional development. Dr. Floyd holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Rider University and earned her Juris Doctor from Temple University. A collaborative and innovative leader with more than 17 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Floyd most recently served as executive vice president for academic affairs and student success for Dallas College North Lake Campus.
“It is truly an honor to be nominated and selected for this auspicious program. The opportunity to be mentored by community college leaders who are recognized nationally as outstanding in their field is something I greatly appreciate,” Dr. Floyd said. “Like others selected for the program, I have devoted my career to improving outcomes for students who come from communities and backgrounds much like my own; I feel genuinely privileged to be able to work alongside rising leaders from across the nation on transforming lives and enhancing success.”
Dr. Iris Freemon
Dr. Freemon was appointed associate vice chancellor of advancement and development at Dallas College in October 2020. Dr. Freemon previously served as chief of staff to Dallas College Chancellor Joe May, providing strategic counsel on the governance of the college. A devoted leader with more than 20 years of higher education experience, her current leadership position allows her to continue working with various internal and external collaborative partnerships to better serve the Dallas College community. Dr. Freemon holds a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership and management from Capella University, a Master of Science in leadership and general management from Walden University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Missouri.
“I am honored to join a group of passionate professionals and like-minded peers who will also be thought partners for Dallas College during this exciting journey,” said Dr. Freemon. “Ultimately, the goal is for us to inspire and learn ways to consistently execute on broad visions at scale and to bring those lessons back to the institutions we represent. As Dallas College continues its transformation, I look forward to working with other Aspen Fellows and learning in the company of current and former community college presidents who’ve charted the way.”
In collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative, Drs. Floyd and Freemon will be mentored by esteemed current and former community college presidents who have achieved exceptional outcomes for students throughout their careers. They will learn strategies to improve student outcomes in and after college, lead internal change and create strong external partnerships with K-12 schools, four-year colleges, employers and other partners.
“To become institutions that truly advance social mobility and talent development, community colleges must have presidents with a clear vision for equitable student success,” said Monica Clark, director of leadership initiatives at the College Excellence Program. “We have selected these fellows because they share that commitment and are well-positioned to become transformational leaders.”
Together, the 2021-2022 fellows are leaders at colleges that collectively serve more than 400,000 students. Some 67 Rising Presidents Fellowship alumni have become presidents of community colleges that collectively serve an additional 953,000 students nationwide.
For a complete list of the newest fellows, please visit the
College Excellence Institute at the Aspen Institute.
# # #
About Dallas College
Dallas College, formerly the Dallas County Community College District, was founded in 1965 and consists of seven campuses: Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland. Dallas College offers online learning and serves more than 83,000 credit and 25,000 continuing education students during the fall and spring semesters. Dallas College also offers dual credit for students in partner high schools and early college high schools throughout Dallas County. Dr. Joe May, the college’s seventh chancellor, has established the Dallas College higher education network in partnership with area school districts, colleges and universities, businesses, community organizations and others to support student success and college completion by removing barriers and providing services that help them earn a college credential and start their professional careers.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to advance higher education practices and leadership strategies that significantly improve student outcomes. Through the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the Aspen Presidential Fellowship and other initiatives, the College Excellence Program works to improve colleges’ understanding and capacity to teach and graduate students, especially the growing population of students from low-income backgrounds and students of color on American campuses.
The Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative advances the critical cause of diversity, equity and inclusion in learning science and postsecondary education leadership. SELI’s research practice partnership with the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has enabled faculty from the Stanford Graduate Schools of Education, Business and Engineering to host and prepare 200 Aspen Presidential Fellows to lead U.S. community colleges for student success in graduation and preparation for workforce advancement.