Visits to campus planned Dec. 17 and 18
by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
The search for the next vice president of academic affairs at Kansas City Kansas Community College has moved into a new phase with the naming of three finalists for the position – Dr. Melanie W. Thornton; Dr. Beth Ann Krueger and Dr. Brock L. Fisher.
The search committee chose to recommend to KCKCC President Greg Mosier the three finalists based on academic credentials, experience and leadership criteria.
The finalists will visit the KCKCC campus for interviews Dec. 17 and 18 where they will spend time meeting with various groups on campus including faculty, the Dean’s Council and Dr. Mosier, among others.
In addition, on each of those days, there will be a general session that is open to all students, staff, faculty and the community. For those who wish to participate, but cannot attend, these Open Forum sessions will be available via livestream on the college’s Facebook page.
The VPAA finalists:
• Dr. Melanie Thornton. Thornton currently serves as vice president of academic affairs for Columbus Technical College in Columbus, Georgia, where she has been for the past five years. She also served one year as vice president of academic affairs at Okefenokee Technical College in Waycross, Georgia, and five years as dean and professor of reading at Darton State College in Albany, Georgia. She has an doctorate in education in curriculum studies with an emphasis on multicultural and comparative education from Georgia Southern University.
• Dr. Beth Ann Krueger. Krueger currently serves as dean of mathematics and science for Cochise College in Sierra Vista, Arizona, where she has been since 2014. She also served seven years as science faculty at Central Arizona College, one year as chief academic officer-dean of academic affairs for Miles Community College in Miles City, Montana. and as director, Center for Distance Learning at Laredo Community College in Laredo, Texas. Her doctorate is in education administration from University of Texas-Austin.
• Dr. Brock Fisher. Fisher currently serves as associate vice president of arts and sciences at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois, a position he has held since 2016. At McHenry County College, Fisher also served two years as executive dean of humanities and social sciences. He was also chair of fine arts at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for three years. His doctorate is in theater from University of Missouri-Columbia.
The open forum for Thornton is from 10 to 10:50 a.m. Dec. 17. The forum for Krueger is 2 to 2:50 p.m. Dec. 17, and the forum for Fisher is from 10 to 10:50 a.m. Dec. 18. All forums will be in the Lower Jewell Student Center on the KCKCC campus, 7250 State Ave. The complete schedule for each candidate can seen be by visiting the KCKCC website, https://www.kckcc.edu/academics/vice-president-of-academic-affairs-candidate-visits.html.