Monroe Community College has appointed the first person of color to lead the school in its 60-year history.

“It’s invigorating,” said Dr. DeAnna Burt-Nanna, Incoming President of Monroe Community College. “I’m excited about the prospects of what we’re all going to accomplish together and to have been chosen to lead such a tremendous team that has such a wonderful history and reputation.”

Dr. Burt-Nanna says the position embodies everything she believes in.

She has more than two decades of higher education leadership experience, most recently serving as Vice President of student and academic affairs for South Central College in Minnesota.

The incoming president will become the first person of color to lead the college in its 60-year history once she starts later this spring.

“Most of us are looking for leadership, and we’re looking for someone to identify with our concerns, and I see that both from the standpoint of my personal story, and my personal journey, my lived experience as a woman of color, and a female in a technical field,” Dr. Burt-Nanna said.

As Dr. Burt-Nanna is months away from stepping into the role of becoming the first person of color to run the institution, she reflects on the decisions her grandfather made to make sure her mother would receive an education.

“And I think about the bold decision that my grandfather made to give his daughter a trajectory to education, he was working in the cotton fields, but decided that she would not, and he sent her north from the south,” said Dr. Burt-Nanna.

The incoming president said that decision by her grandfather allowed her mother to get an education, putting things in motion for her siblings and children.

“Both of my parents are just amazing educators in their own right,” Dr. Burt-Nanna said. “My father, he both worked in industry, in the technical field, he's an army veteran, but he also served in public office in the school boards in my local community that I came from. All those experiences really shaped my commitment to higher education, (and) the value that I placed on my education. And I'm really grateful for the early beginnings that both all my ancestors gave me.”

Dr. Burt- Nanna will come in as the college starts working on its strategic plan, navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic, and closing equity gaps among underrepresented groups.
She added the college will remain committed to workforce and economic development in the region.

She said the college will work to have a steady enrollment stream to boaster the economic development in the area, and will work to ensure students have equal and equitable opportunities to be successful.

The incoming president says her first priority will be getting to know people, connecting with students and the community.

“I certainly have ideas and there’re things that I’ve been observing,” Burt-Nanna said. “I have some interest in working with our partners across the college to better understand and to set some things in motion, but my first priority is to really get those relationships in place and strengthen them and get to know one another all throughout the community and at the college.”

Dr. Burt-Nanna officially takes over at Monroe Community College on May 21st.