RICHMOND - Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia's Community Colleges (VCCS) announced today that Dr. Edna Baehre-Kolovani will become the fifth permanent president of Tidewater Community College (TCC) beginning in July.

Baehre-Kolovani began her career teaching undergraduate German at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Baehre-Kolovani, who speaks German, English and French, is in the process of learning Spanish. She has held leadership positions at Jamestown and Genesee community colleges in New York as well as Highland and Elgin community colleges in Illinois. She served as the president of Harrisburg Area Community College in Pennsylvania for 13 years beginning in 1997. In 2010 Baehre-Kolovani became the president/superintendent of Napa Valley College in California, where she currently works.

"I have known Edna Baehre-Kolovani for a long time and believe her to be an outstanding community college leader," said DuBois. "She has a track record of setting the right priorities, establishing terrific community partnerships and applying ample elbow grease to ensure that her community college is vibrant and serving the community well. I'm excited for both Edna and the college."

"I am very excited about being able to serve Tidewater Community College as its next president," said Baehre-Kolovani. "I was attracted to apply for the position because of the college's national reputation for its many innovative activities, community partnerships, and its energized students, staff and faculty. That includes the college's leadership role in a $16 Million dollar, 12-state effort to infuse technology into medical health informatics education programs and TCC's extensive commitment to serve active and retired military personnel. I look forward to building on those initiatives with the support by the amazing faculty and staff to make the college an even stronger player throughout Hampton Roads."

Baehre-Kolovani's career as a community college president includes extensive work in strategic planning; expanding and diversifying college enrollment; and significant fundraising and public advocacy campaign success.

Baehre-Kolovani succeeds Dr. Deborah M. DiCroce, who retired last winter after serving as Tidewater Community College's president for the last 14 years. Dr. Peter A. Spina has been serving as the college's interim president since the first of March. Baehre-Kolovani is expected to officially begin her new position on or about July 1, 2012.

"I am thrilled that Edna Baehre-Kolovani has accepted the presidency at Tidewater Community College," said LaVonne Ellis, chair of the TCC Board. "From the start of the selection process, the board identified Dr. Baehre-Kolovani as an exceptional visionary, whose proven leadership and experience will continue the tradition of excellence at our college." Baehre-Kolovani earned her bachelor's degree from Päedagogische Hochschule in Heidelberg, Germany and holds both a master's degree and a doctorate from the State University of New York in Buffalo.

About Virginia's Community Colleges: Created more than 40 years ago, the VCCS is comprised of 23 community colleges located on 40 campuses across the commonwealth. Together, Virginia's Community Colleges serve more than 400,000 students each year.

About Tidewater Community College: TCC, the largest provider of higher education and workforce development services in Hampton Roads - served more than 46,000 students in 2010-11. The 16th highest associate-degree producer in the nation, TCC offers more than 150 programs. Among the fastest-growing two-year institutions in the United States, TCC was founded in 1968 as a part of the Virginia Community College System. The college serves the South Hampton Roads region with campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. Forty-five percent of the region's residents attending a college or university in Virginia last fall were enrolled at TCC.


Source: Virginia's Community Colleges