Stark State College Board of Trustees Announces Presidential Finalists

After an extensive national search, the Board of Trustees is pleased to announce four presidential finalists. A presidential screening committee comprised of Board members, faculty, staff and student representatives, as well as members of the community, reviewed applicants and presented the names of four finalists to the Board Thursday.

The Stark State College presidential finalists are: Quintin Bullock, DDS, president of Schenectady County Community College in Schenectady, NY; Laura Coleman, PhD, president of Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, MI; Dorey Diab, PhD, provost and chief academic officer of Stark State College, and Para Jones, PhD, president of Spartanburg Community College in Spartanburg, SC.

• Quintin Bullock serves as president of Schenectady County Community College in Schenectady, NY. Previously, Bullock was provost of the Virginia Beach Campus of Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, VA. He holds a doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Texas Health Center in Houston, TX, a master of education (biology) degree from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, TX and a bachelor of science (pre-med) degree from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, TX.

• Laura Coleman serves as president of Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, MI. Previously, Coleman was executive dean Bertrand Crossing Campus of Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, MI. Coleman holds a PhD in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri – Columbia in Columbia, MO, a master of business administration in management from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in Lake Forest, IL and a bachelor of science degree in marketing from the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL.

• Dorey Diab serves as provost and chief academic officer of Stark State College.  Previously, he was vice president for academic affairs of Rhodes State College in Lima. Diab earned a PhD in leadership in higher education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE, a master degree in civil engineering from Cleveland State University, a master of business administration from Kent State University in Kent, a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Cleveland State University in Cleveland and an associate of science degree from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.

• Para Jones serves as president of Spartanburg Community College in Spartanburg, SC.  Previously, she was vice president for advancement, planning and college relations at Stark State College. Jones holds a PhD in higher education leadership from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE, a master of business administration degree from Ashland University in Ashland and a bachelor of arts degree from University of Mount Union (formerly Mount Union College) in Alliance.

Stark State’s former president,  to accept a position at MassBay Community College in Massachusetts.