The national search to replace Dr. Dale K. Nesbary, who will retire in June as president of Muskegon Community College, has been narrowed to three finalists, who will participate in all-day interviews on April 13, 18 and 19.
The three candidates are:
- Eric Dunker, associate vice president and dean of business, technology and workforce partnerships at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado;
- John Selmon, provost/executive vice president at Muskegon Community College; and
- Ty A. Stone, president of Jefferson Community College in Watertown, New York.
Gold Hill Associates, an executive search firm specializing in community college searches, was hired in November to guide the MCC search process.
The search attracted 49 candidates. Gold Hill Associates, in conjunction with a 16-member MCC Presidential Search Committee comprised of MCC trustees, community members, faculty, staff and students, narrowed the field to 21 candidates. The committee used a rubric, based on a profile established by the MCC Board of Trustees, to trim the field to eight candidates.
“This is one of the most diverse pools of presidential candidates that I have ever seen,” said Dr. Preston Pulliams, the Gold Hill Associates president. A Muskegon native and MCC Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, he was impressed with the experience and quality of the candidates.
Each finalist will be on campus for a full day of interviews, tours, and meetings. The candidates will meet with students, staff, faculty, board members and college leadership. An open meeting with a public presentation will take place at 5 p.m. in Stevenson Center Room 1300. The dates for the candidate visits are as follows:
- Wednesday, April 13 – Dr. Ty A. Stone
- Monday, April 18 – Dr. Eric Dunker
- Tuesday, April 19 – Dr. John Selmon
Feedback collected from meeting participants will be considered by the Board of Trustees before making its final hiring decision. A decision is expected in May.
For more information on the search process, contact Kristine Anderson, executive director of human resources at MCC, at kristine.anderson@muskegoncc.edu or at (231) 777-0350.
Short bios of the three finalists follow:
Dr. Eric Dunker
Dr. Eric Dunker currently serves as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Business, Technology, and Workforce Partnerships at Arapahoe Community College (ACC) in Colorado and is an Aspen Institute Fellow in the 2022 Rising Community College President Fellowship. In his current position, he leads ACC’s extended campuses, serves as an Academic Dean in Technology and Business, and champions ACC’s efforts in industry and community engagement.
Dr. Eric Dunker
Dunker is a national leader in community college advancement and workforce development efforts. Under his leadership, ACC has cultivated $11.3 million in new private donations and recently secured a $2 million Sync Up Colorado challenge program that will bridge high school to health careers.
Additionally, he has led over $6.5 million in new public grants and appropriations, co-created innovative apprenticeships in health care, technology, and business, and co-created responsive career-ready programs for displaced workers in the Denver-south region during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dunker’s work received statewide recognition at the Colorado Apprenticeship Awards as he was named the 2021 Colorado Apprentice Champion. He was recently appointed by Colorado’s governor to the state apprenticeship council.
He prioritizes local community and industry engagement through active and visible leadership evidenced by his current service on the Colorado State Youth Council board, the Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce board, and the Colorado State University County extension board. Dunker co-led the design of the innovative $40 million Sturm Collaboration Campus that opened in 2019 in the fast-growing community of Castle Rock, Colorado where he leads campus strategy and operations. The Sturm Collaboration Campus, recipient of the Economic Development Partnership of the Year in Colorado award, is a partnership between K-12, Arapahoe Community College, Colorado State University, the Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Center, and local industry and is a national model for community college modernization.
Dunker has over 17 years of experience in higher education. Prior to ACC, he served as the Coastal Regional Director for Oregon State University Extension. He led six rural county extension offices and helped implement new strategic initiatives for engagement and rural economic development such as co-creating the first outdoor recreation and tourism faculty positions on the Oregon coast. Prior to OSU, Dunker worked in a variety of roles for nine years at MSU Denver, which is a Hispanic Serving Institution in downtown Denver. He graduated from Bucknell University with his BSBA in Business, Colorado State University with an MS in Student Affairs in Higher Education, and the University of Denver with a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction.
He and Katie, his wife of 16 years and a Michigan native, have three active children. They love traveling, spending time with family, and participating in outdoor activities – especially at their family’s lake home in central Minnesota.
Dr. John Selmon
Dr. John Selmon has more than three decades of experience serving in key leadership roles at both public and private higher education institutions. Currently as the Provost/Executive Vice President at Muskegon Community College (MCC), he provides leadership and oversight for Academic Affairs, Athletics, Facilities, and Student Services.
Dr. John Selmon
At MCC, he helped spearhead a college-wide Achieving the Dream initiative resulting in a national designation as a Leader College, national recognition for MCC’s student success initiatives, and subsequent rankings for MCC among the best community colleges in Michigan and the U.S. Selmon champions a laser-like focus on student success and completion.
Selmon was the Project Lead for several major MCC building projects including the capital outlay grants. These include the Sturrus Technology Center ($19.8M); the Health and Wellness Center ($14.1M); the Automotive Center ($805K); and the Art and Music Building ($9M). He was a co-lead for the Science Center ($9.6M).
He instituted significant emergency practices and procedures to greatly enhance campus safety and security. Selmon established and led the “And Justice for All….” series of college-community discussions focused on proactively increasing meaningful dialogue on divisive issues affecting the nation, such as race, law enforcement, bias, defamation, economic injustice, incarceration and gun control.
Selmon is strategically focused and passionate about developing policies, programs, and systems to improve access, completion and equity in higher education. He is a member of the Higher Learning Commission’s Peer Corps and serves as a peer reviewer for other colleges in their accreditation efforts.
Prior to coming to MCC, 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.
He 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.
An avid sports fan, Selmon co-founded the MCC employee golf league at University Park. He is a member of Muskegon Community Toastmasters Club, the Muskegon Rotary where he helped to facilitate some of the DEI book discussions, and the Muskegon Covenant Academy Board.
He and his wife, Zephra, have been married for 35 years and have two adult children.
Dr. Ty A. Stone
Dr. Ty A. Stone has served as the sixth president of Jefferson Community College since July 2017. She holds a doctorate in organization and management from Capella University, a master’s in business administration from Trinity University, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia Union College.
Dr. Ty A. Stone
Prior to joining Jefferson, Stone served as vice president for strategic initiatives at Sinclair Community College in Ohio where she is recognized for her leadership of the innovative and successful Enrollment by Design initiative. Stone possesses a breadth of professional experience in the higher education and non-profit sectors including fiscal management, strategic planning, enrollment planning, instruction, human resources, fundraising and facilities management. Her collaborative leadership style is driven by a “students first” focus.
Throughout her career, Stone has recognized that partnerships and alliances are the cornerstones of a viable community. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, a member of the American Association of Community Colleges Commission on Economic and Workforce Development, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization/Advocate DRUM, Adirondack North Country Association, and Jefferson-Lewis Workforce Development Board. In addition, Stone regularly volunteers her time with non-profit organizations in the North Country and is a frequent guest speaker on the topics of leadership, workforce development, diversity and inclusion. She has been recognized as an influential leader in higher education, most recently being named in the New York 2022 Higher Education Power 100 list for her strong commitment to education and economic development.