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HCC Welcomes Deborah Fox as 44th President

published September 30, 2019HCC Welcomes Deborah Fox as  44th President

On Wednesday, September 25, 2019, Highland Community College celebrated the Inauguration of Deborah Fox as 44th President of the Institution. Attendees gathered for a ceremony in Culbertson Auditorium on the Highland Campus at 2 p.m. with a reception in the Walter Yost Gallery after the ceremony.

 

During the Installation, HCC Board of Trustee Chair, Thomas Smith noted that after the search the Board was certain they found the right fit in President Fox.

 

“Deb checked all our boxes. She’s a great fit in the community, she knows higher education, she’s passionate about her profession and most importantly, she’s someone with which we’d like to work, and we are so very happy she accepted the position!”

 

In addition to music from the HCC Lads & Lassies guests heard from Harry Moeller, President of the HCC Faculty Association and Instructor of Biology. He related President Fox’s strengths and history at HCC.

 

“We want to welcome Deb back to Highland and we are so very grateful to have you serve as the next leader of HCC,” said Moeller. “Your leadership will make HCC a place where students will want to start and through the work of passionate employees and faculty our students will be able to go anywhere.”

 

Fox said in her remarks that, “HCC has a lasting legacy in higher education as Kansas’ oldest college and throughout its history, the College has been challenged. Declining enrollment, cuts to workforce and limits to funding to name a few. Through these times, however, administrators and the Board of Trustees have worked to make Highland thrive and used this time to evaluate, regroup and become better and stronger.”

 

She went on to say, “This remarkable college with its distinguished history is the embodiment of change. Despite it all, we are in an extraordinary profession and you have entrusted me to guide and lead an extraordinary college. I will continue to build on the achievements of the 43 presidents that have come before me and I will never forget the importance of what I have been asked to do.”

 

Fox took the role on July 1, 2019, after a nationwide search was completed in the spring. A native of Kansas, Fox most recently served as Director of Business Operations & Management for USD #446, Independence, Kansas School District. Previously, she served Highland Community College as the Vice President of Finance & Operations for 14 years and as an Assistant Dean of Regional Instruction for 3 years. She holds a Master of Science in Educational Administration with an emphasis in Higher Education from Fort Hays State University and an MBA in General Administration from Pittsburg State University.

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