Ivy Tech narrows South Bend-Elkhart chancellor finalists to field of three

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Tia Robinson-Cooper

The next chancellor for Ivy Tech Community College’s South Bend-Elkhart campus will be selected from a field of three finalists.

The college is hosting open community sessions where people can meet the finalists. The schedule and the candidates are as follows:

  • Tia Robinson-Cooper, 11 a.m. to noon, May 10
  • Nerita Hughes, 11 a.m. to noon, May 11
  • Andrew Williams, 11 a.m. to noon, May 12
Nerita Hughes

The forums will be at the Ivy Café in the South Bend/Elkhart campus, 220 Dean Johnson Blvd., South Bend. The college hopes to name a new chancellor for the campus by May 23.

Robinson-Cooper is president at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California. She is a Chicago native and earned a Doctor of Education in counseling and adult higher education from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb; a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in organizational leadership from National Louis University in Chicago; a Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology from NIU; and an associate of science in business administration from Kishwaukee College in Malta.

Hughes is dean for the school of business, careers, education and workforce innovation at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and president/chief executive officer of JG Consulting LLC. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from National American University holds a Master of Business Administration and a Doctor of Education in leadership both from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Andrew Williams

Williams has served as interim chancellor at the Ivy Tech South Bend-Elkhart campus since Jan. 31. He has been with the college for 21 years and has served a variety of roles. Williams has a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Indiana University-Bloomington and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University-South Bend.

Thomas Coley retired as chancellor of Ivy Tech’s South bend/Elkhart campus in May 2019, after serving the post two years. He currently is a regional president for Connecticut State Community Colleges.

Kathern Kent, environmental design and global studies department chair for Ivy Tech’s South Bend/Elkhart campus, was appointed acting chancellor following Coley’s departure.

David Balkin was the last chancellor of the South Bend/Elkhart campus. He served the role from September 2019 through January but stepped down to become president of SUNY Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York.

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  • Larry Avila

    Larry is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years of experience working with daily newspapers and business-to-business publications around the Midwest. Avila is a Michigan native and a graduate of Central Michigan University.

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