Kalamazoo Valley Community College Accepting Board of Trustee Applications

Kalamazoo Valley Community College extends its appreciation to two Trustees who have resigned from the college's board, each for different personal reasons. Susan L. Miller and Patrick A. Farmer submitted their resignations November 14, 2023.

Patrick Farmer joined the board January 2017 and helped Kalamazoo Valley Community College through significant milestones and initiatives, including the creation of the Valley Food Share program for students, the launch of the Kalamazoo Valley Accelerated Associate Program (KVAAP) and the debt forgiveness program to bring students back to college. During Farmer's tenure, he assisted with the hiring of the college's third president, L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D., and with the campus' response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During his tenure, Farmer served as the Treasurer of the Board and chaired the Board Budget Committee.

Susan Miller a Kalamazoo Valley alumna, provided 20 years of leadership for the college since she joined the board in 2003. During her tenure, she helped oversee the renovation of the Center for New Media in downtown Kalamazoo and the development of the Bronson Healthy Living campus. During her 20 years of service, the college's student demographics shifted with the creation of the Early/Middle college program (with the dual enrollment of students in both high school and in college) and the return of hundreds of students to campus through the Michigan Reconnect tuition assistance program. Under her collaborative leadership, the college launched its Diversity and Inclusion office and recently updated its college mission and strategic plan. Miller has been an active member of the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation board and has also served as the Secretary of the Board and chaired the Board Audit/Governance Committee.

President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D. expressed his appreciation for the two trustees' service, "Kalamazoo Valley is most grateful for the service provided by both of these Trustees and appreciates their service on behalf of the communities served by the college. Their understanding of policy governance and commitment to our region's educational needs have benefitted thousands of students and will impact the region for many years to come."

Kalamazoo Valley Community College Board of Trustees will be accepting applications to fill these two unexpired terms. The two appointed members of the Board of Trustees will serve for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

Applications are due no later than November 28, 2023. The Board Audit and Governance Committee will review application materials and the Board of Trustees anticipates it will make the provisional appointment at their regular meeting on December 12, 2023.

To obtain further information and application materials, please contact Tracy Labadie, Chief of Staff and Board of Trustees Liaison at .