New UCC president selected in announcement

Published by Savannah Peterson on

Dr. Rachel Pokrandt will be starting July 1st as UCC’s 12th president.
Photo provided by Umpqua Community College

New UCC president selected in announcement 

Upon President Debra Thatcher’s retirement, UCC welcomes the 12th president, Rachel Pokrandt. The Board of Education announced Pokrandts election on April 16 via UCC’s Facebook page. 

UCC Board of Education Chair Steve Loosley ran the Facebook live and acknowledged students, staff and others with their help during this process. 

After a several-months-long process with the UCC Board of Education of interviewing and selecting candidates, the process comes to an end as Pokrandt accepts the position. 

In the Presidential Town Hall Meeting, Pokrandt explained why she chose UCC.

“The presidential profile stood out to me because it had the right blend of passion, place based flavor and a little sense of fun and who I am as a professional,” Pokrandt said.

The Board of Education individually expressed gratitude for Pokrandt’s acceptance of the position and Thatcher’s many years of serving for UCC.

Loosley said, “On behalf of the board, we are absolutely thrilled to announce that Rachel Pokrandt will be the next president of Umpqua Community College.”

After the board publicly announced the selected candidate, Pokrandt spoke on behalf of her new position. 

“I am honored to have been selected for the next president at UCC,” Pokrandt said. “After spending just over a week in Roseburg and Douglas Country, my husband and I fell in love with both the college and the community.”

Pokrandt is currently working at Colorado Mountain College as vice president and campus dean. She previously served as dean of instruction at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, CO. and as an instructor since 2003. Pokrandt received her doctorate degree in management from the Swiss Management University in Zurich, Switzerland. 

Current UCC President Thatcher retires on June 30. Pokrandt will obtain the position as UCC president July 1.

Contact me at:
UCCMainstream@yahoo.com

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