Search for next BRCC president narrows to 3 finalists

Veteran Blue Ridge Community College administrator John Downey is one of three finalists to become the college’s new president along with administrators from colleges in Maryland and Massachusetts.

The State Board of Community Colleges on Wednesday announced the three finalists for the job to replace the retiring Jim Perkins. A new president is expected to be named by mid-June.

Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, will make a recommendation to the state community college board.

The finalists include:

n Downey, an administrator at Blue Ridge since 1992. He is currently vice president for instruction and student services, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College, a master’s from Boston College and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Virginia.

n Kathryn Anne Barbour, of Easton, Md., a vice president for academic services at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, Md. She was previously interim vice president for academic affairs at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, Calif., and dean of the division of arts and letters at that college.

Barbour also served as assistant dean of the college for technology and special programs at Cazenovia College in Cazenovia, N.Y.  Barbour holds a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College, a master’s degree from Syracuse University and a doctorate in English from Binghampton University.

n Doreen M. Larson of South Hadley, Mass., current vice president for student affairs at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Mass. Previously, Larson served as assistant vice president for student access and services at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio, and dean of counseling and academic support services at Lakeland. Larson has a bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University, a master’s degree from John Carroll University and a doctorate with a major in special education from Kent State University.

Dr. Bruce Bowman, a Waynesboro veterinarian and a member of Blue Ridge’s local board, served on the search committee that had to work through 90 applicants.

“These are the top candidates from the 90 we started with,’’ Bowman said. He said the three candidates have contrasting styles and all three are “at the peak of their careers.”

The three candidates will be on the Blue Ridge campus for interviews early next month. Bowman expects a decision by the third week of June.

“I think we have a president in this group of three,’’ he said. “But we especially want to see how these folks interact with the college community. We’re pretty excited.”

Perkins is retiring Aug. 1 after serving 20 years as Blue Ridge’s president.