This content was published: June 8, 2012. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
PCC chooses next Southeast/Extended Learning Campus President
Photos and story by James Hill
Jessica Howard has been selected as the next Campus President of the Southeast and Extended Learning Campus. She will start her new position with PCC in August.
Currently, Howard serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs for San Antonio College, which is one of the five colleges in the Alamo Colleges System in Texas. As Vice President for Academic Affairs, she has led the Arts and Sciences, Career Technical Education, Continuing Education and Contract Training, and Learning Resources Divisions. She has also served as the Interim Executive Vice President of San Antonio College, responsible for both academic and student affairs. Howard has bachelor’s degrees in English and Music Theory, and a master’s degree in Music Theory from Rice University, and a doctorate in Performance Studies from New York University.
Howard replaces Craig Kolins, who served as interim campus president for the past two years, following the retirement of Nan Poppe from the position.
“I believe Jessica has the skills PCC needs to successfully lead the build out of the Southeast Center and the further development of our Extended Learning Campus services,” said PCC District President Preston Pulliams. “She is passionate about helping students reach their educational goals – whatever they may be. She is excited about representing the center in the community, a critical role given Southeast’s expansion in its neighborhood and the myriad of community relationships advanced by the Extended Learning Campus. And, her experience working within a large multi-college system prepares her well for the complexity and scope of PCC.”
Howard replaces Craig Kolins, who served as interim campus president for the past two years, following the retirement of Nan Poppe from the position.
“(Craig) has provided excellent campus leadership during this period of tremendous enrollment growth and expansion planning,” added Pulliams.
The president of the Southeast Center and Extended Learning Campus oversees college transfer, developmental education, career technical education programs, and non-credit continuing education and community education courses. In addition, the position leads the professional training for businesses and alternative high school programs.
Since opening in 2004, the Southeast Center has experienced the biggest enrollment growth of any PCC location, growing by 31 percent in the past three years. Construction crews are expected to begin work this fall on a $39 million expansion, adding classrooms, science labs, student resource facilities, bookstore, library and child development center. When work is completed, students can earn academic credentials without having to leave the center for another PCC campus. The work is the result of the voter-approved $374 million bond measure in 2008.
In the end, the new Southeast Campus will accommodate more than 20,000 students annually, up from nearly 11,000 now.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »
[…] remarks from Dr. Jessica Howard, the new president for the Southeast/Extended Learning Campus, Becky Springer, Student Leadership Coordinator, and a group of Buddhist monks from the Ngoc Son […]