Joining Lone Star College-CyFair in the new year Jan. 6 as the new Vice President of Instruction is Dr. Carol Ash, who will bring a compassionate personality with more than 15 years of higher education leadership and commitment to supporting opportunities for success of all students.
“Instruction is the heart of what we do as a college, responsible for teaching and learning for nearly 26,000 students. We are excited to welcome Dr. Ash as the next leader of this innovative and passionate team of educators,” said LSC-CyFair President Dr. Valerie Jones. “She has demonstrated a commitment to her faculty, deans, and students over the years and received high praise for her accomplishments and the relationships that helped make them happen.”
When Dr. Ash saw the mention of “normalizing” amazing at LSC-CyFair in the job description, she said “I thought, well, if ever there was a position made for me … I'm devoted to cultivating a culture of collaboration, accountability, and positive experiences that help others reach their full potential. I believe we all flourish in environments that champion and celebrate excellence.”
Skilled at identifying opportunities for improvement and developing sustainable solutions, ensuring student success is important to Dr. Ash. In addition to holding various leadership roles in academia, most recently as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development at Southwest Tennessee Community College, she taught media classes at Kennedy-King College, in Chicago, Illinois, where she launched the Emmy Award-winning “KKC Views” student news program.
“When I think about the education that we provide to students … if we're truly passionate about it, we can make a real difference. We are, what I like to say, uniquely positioned to change their lives,” she said.
Making such an impact is a lesson she learned after her 2010 Emmy Award-nominated “Color of Aids” campaign (around HIV awareness in communities of color) during her almost 20-year career as a broadcast journalist and news producer.
Getting a college education is transformational as Dr. Ash can attest to and who is immensely passionate about community colleges, in particular, where all students are welcome, regardless of their social, economic and academic background.
“Just come as you are. We'll figure out what you need and will do the very best we can to provide you what you need both in the classroom and outside of the classroom,” she said. “Our goal is for everyone to succeed. And everyone means everyone. We are open access. That’s what I love about community colleges.”