Office of the President

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Contact Information

Office Phone

Main: (231) 773-9131

Toll Free Number: (866) 711-4622

Overview of Office of the President

The Office of the President at Muskegon Community College focuses on enhancing student success, providing high-quality education, and supporting an inclusive, strategic vision for the college.

President’s Welcome 

Thank you for your interest in Muskegon Community College, a special place where students of all ages are supported by staff and faculty who are focused on student success. We are eager to help you discover your path and achieve your dreams. 

MCC consistently earns high marks from national benchmarking firms assessing educational quality and value. Most recently, MCC was ranked #1 in successful student transfers in Michigan. With a beautiful 100-acre main campus, downtown Sturrus Technology Center, extension sites in four counties, and online options, we have the perfect learning space for you.

Our award-winning faculty members teach a diverse community of over 5,000 dedicated students, who choose MCC for its life-changing educational programs. MCC delivers an exceptional student experience that includes small class sizes, state-of-the-art technology, affordable tuition, and flexible class scheduling. We also provide a complete college experience with music, theater, art, and fitness equipment and programs in our Health and Wellness Center. Our students enjoy 18 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports – the most of any Michigan community college – including Esports.

As president, my number one priority is the health and safety of our students, staff, and faculty, followed closely by MCC’s Strategic Plan priorities of access, equity, and excellence. Our work over the next several years will center on MCC’s vision of an educated, inclusive community.

There are a variety of ways to pay for college at MCC including scholarships, financial aid, dual enrollment, Reconnect, Early College, and Promise programs. Then we help you achieve your goals with our support services, including free tutoring, help with writing, food pantry and other resources.

Are you wondering if you can succeed at MCC? Of Course You Can! Go to www.muskegoncc.edu/admissions/become-a-student/ and begin or renew your educational journey. Please contact me at (231) 777-0311 or by email at president@muskegoncc.edu if you have questions or need assistance in any matter.

My Best,
John Selmon, Ed.D., President

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Former MCC Directors/Presidents

Staff Directory Type Format – all photos same size

Samuel S. Brooks 1926-1927
D. R. Henry 1926-1931
Allen G. Umbreit 1931-1958

William G. Dwyer 1958-1960
James M. Snyder 1960-1964
Ralph A. Austermiller 1964-1970

Charles M. Greene 1970-1976
John G. Thompson 1977-1986 Robert Keesen
Interim President 1976-1977

James L. Stevenson 1986-1995
Frank P. Marczak 1995-2004
Diana Osborn, Interim President 2004-05 and 2008-09

David L. Rule 2005-2008
Dale K. Nesbary 2009-2022

President's Cabinet

John Selmon
President

Dr. John Selmon, who became MCC’s President on July 1, 2022, has more than three decades of experience serving in key leadership roles at both public and private higher education institutions. Well acquainted with Muskegon Community College (MCC) as the Provost/Executive Vice President for the past 11 years, Dr. Selmon provided leadership and oversight for Academic Affairs, Athletics, Facilities, and Student Services.

At MCC, he helped spearhead a college-wide Achieving the Dream initiative resulting in a Leader College designation and has coordinated several multi-million-dollar major building projects. Dr. Selmon instituted significant emergency practices and procedures to greatly enhance campus safety and security and launched a series of college-community events to proactively increase meaningful dialogue on divisive issues affecting the nation. He is strategically focused and passionate about developing policies, programs, and systems to improve access, completion, and equity in higher education.

Prior to coming to MCC, Dr. Selmon served as the Executive Dean of Student Services at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, MI, after working in Student Services at Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, GA. He began his career in Michigan with Grand Rapids Junior College prior to joining the Davenport University Educational System, where he held numerous administrative roles during his 18-year tenure leading to his position as the Davenport system’s group vice president. He has served on numerous community organizations.

Dr. Selmon earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition, he has participated in several leadership programs, most recently a 2020 graduate of the Aspen Institute’s Presidential Fellows Program.

Beth Dick
Chief Financial Officer

ABOUT

Beth Dick returned to Muskegon Community College in August 2021 after serving as Director of Finance/Assistant County Administrator for the County of Muskegon since 2015. Previously, she served four years as the Director of Finance for MCC.

With extensive knowledge and experience, Dick has directed the preparation and administration of budgets for large organizations, strategically managed financial assets, and provided oversight of sound policies and operations. In her role, she provides financial leadership to the campus community, collaborates to accomplish strategic priorities, and supervises all accounting and financial services functions. 

Kristine Anderson
Chief Human Resources Officer

ABOUT

Kristine Anderson serves as the Chief Human Resource Officer at Muskegon Community College.  She and her team are responsible for all aspects of human resources that promote a culture of teamwork and support that allow the other faculty/staff to focus their efforts on student success.

Kristine values her role as a collaborative partner and servant leader across the organization as a member of the executive and senior leadership teams planning, implementing, and supporting strategic direction and initiatives.

Since joining MCC, Kristine and her team have successfully adopted a number of new practices and technologies to create efficiencies for employees both in process and access.  Some of these technologies included benefits enrollment, training, performance evaluations, onboarding, pay, and hiring processes.  Other campus wide initiatives have included health and safety, contracts, policies, community outreach, strategic implementation, and improved communication.

She is passionate about fostering teamwork across campus, living our values, emphasizing the importance of weaving equity and inclusion through everything we do and continuing to promote opportunities at MCC for our students and employees.

With nearly 25 years in Human Resources, Kristine started her career at Quality Stores corporate office where her focus was on leadership training, later managing employee relations across 200+ locations throughout the nation with an emphasis on harassment and discrimination prevention.  She moved to Spartan Stores Retail Division and was soon leading the HR team in the corporate division with a focus on building new HR processes and improving the diversity in leadership roles.  She made the leap to higher education at Davenport University where she led a team as the Director of Recruitment & Employee Relations and was a part of a number of successful projects including cultural growth, restructuring and DEI initiatives which lead to awards such as the Great College to Work for and Excellence in Diversity from Inside Higher Education for 3 consecutive years during her tenure.

Kristine earned a B.S. degree from Western Michigan University, and has held a number of HR and Title IX certifications.  Most recently she was honored to be selected for and completed the Michigan Community College Association Leadership Academy.

Sue Samaniego
Chief Advancement Officer

Steven Wilson
Chief Information Officer

ABOUT

Dr. Steven Wilson serves as Chief Information Officer for Ellucian and the Muskegon Community College IT site leader.

With 22 years of experience in information technology, Steven has worked in multiple technology disciplines including programming, system administration, networking, systems analysis, database administration, and management. Currently, he is focused on executive IT and higher education leadership.

In addition to Dr. Wilson’s formal education, he has benefited from concentrated training on change leadership in higher education through Ellucian. This training has guided him on shaping and executing a vision for innovation in information technology.

Steven is a local to the community having grown up in Spring Lake, Michigan. In elementary school he was a participant in a science fair hosted by MCC dealing with technology’s impact on hand-eye coordination. He later attended MCC as a student in a 3-and-1 program between MCC and Ferris State to complete a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.

He earned both a Master of Science in Information Systems Management from Ferris State University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Security from Capella University.

During his time attending MCC as a student, he was hired by Ellucian to work as the College’s network administrator. He spent a further seven years working for Ellucian to support MCC before moving to Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, to become its CIO. After a three-year stint at Hocking, Steven came back to Muskegon Community College in 2020 to take up a leadership role as the Chief Information Officer. Steven has also had the privilege to serve as an adjunct instructor for the College.

Ken James
Chief Diversity Officer

ABOUT

Ken James became Muskegon Community College’s first-ever chief diversity officer (CDO) on Sept. 20, 2021.

As a member of the President’s Cabinet, James will implement a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy and serve as a catalyst to leverage best practices and resources across campus to promote a culture of inclusion. The goal is to ensure that individuals of all racial and ethnic identities, ages, nationalities, social and economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religious, political and ideological perspectives, and physical and mental abilities are able to thrive and be engaged.

“Ken James is a highly skilled and experienced DEI professional,” noted MCC President Dale K. Nesbary. “He will add tremendous value to the College and our region. We are fortunate to have his talents back in Muskegon.”

“The role of chief diversity officer will be a driving force in supporting MCC’s constituents in attaining their individual, community, and global needs,” said James. “My goal will be to continue supporting the existing efforts that promote inclusion for all, by building on successes and addressing any challenges that may arise.”

“Over my professional career I have striven for and continually supported the betterment of organizations by initiating and maintaining dialogue of underserved and mainstream populations in whatever role I was in. The experience I have gained from my time working with the business community, municipal governments, healthcare systems, nonprofits and higher education have allowed me to see multiple facets on approaches to building consensus while providing me with the knowledge to navigate any barriers to teamwork.”

The director of inclusion for the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce since 2018, James brings a wealth of DEI experience to his new role. He served as the affirmative action director for the City of Muskegon from 1997 to 2005 and was appointed to a statewide committee that piloted a Michigan State Department of Civil Rights program to create engaging communities.

James was director of management learning and development at Hackley Hospital for a year before becoming assistant vice president for affirmative action in 2008 at his alma mater, Grand Valley State University. He subsequently worked as an independent consultant with Meijer, Inc. as a general training specialist and part of a team that developed, implemented, and piloted comprehensive regional ethics training initiative that was adopted organization-wide in 2012.

He joined Spectrum Health University in 2012 as a senior learning advisor and was a key contributor to a corporate university team that garnered two national awards for Best Corporate University and Excellence in Leadership Development. In 2015, he became a senior recruiter for Spectrum Heath Talent Acquisition and led a team that developed and implemented an organization-wide, paid internship program for 100-plus summer interns annually.

A native of San Diego, CA, James earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Kentucky State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Grand Valley State University.

“MCC is a huge part of my professional foundation,” added James. “I served as director of the Intercultural Community Leadership Academy, a community program that operated out of MCC. I was honored to be a recipient of the Love in Action award in 2007, presented by MCC. Also, as past chair of the Muskegon County Diversity Committee, I was part of numerous Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day Breakfasts held in Collegiate Hall.”

Named to the Grand Rapids Business Journal 40 Under 40 in 2007, James has been active with Leadership Muskegon, Leadership West Michigan, and Leadership Grand Rapids. He has been an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University and serves as a deacon and board member with Renaissance Church in Grand Rapids.  He serves on the boards of Home Repair Services and Cascade Community Foundation. He is the African American Heritage Fund Chair for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, the diversity chair for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and co-chair of the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute Advisory Council. A Legacy Lunch Committee member, he is a Diversity Council member with the Grand Rapids Young Professionals.

He and his wife, Tamasha, are the parents of three teenage daughters.

Kristin Tank
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

ABOUT

Kristin Tank began her career with MCC in May of 2021 leading a team of experts. She has more than 20 years of experience in the marketing and communications field with her most recent work experience as Public Information Officer at the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District where she actively and strategically led, implemented, monitored, and evaluated marketing, communication, and crisis response initiatives. This included advertising, promotions, public relations, media relations, and internal communications to support objectives and increase positive exposure.

She has experience as an adjunct instructor at Baker College of Muskegon and as Communications Manager at Quality Stores, Inc. 

Kristin earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Personnel Management from Michigan State University and a Master of Arts in Organizational Communication from Western Michigan University.

Formerly she served on the board for the Michigan School Public Relations Association, Mediation & Restorative Services, and BSA Troop 1048 of Whitehall, Michigan. 

Paula Halloran
Executive Assistant to the President

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