WASHINGTON - The president of Northeast Community College has been named one of the top chief executive officers of community colleges in North America.
Dr. Michael Chipps is the recipient the 2017 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Western Region Chief Executive Officer Award. He is one of five regional CEO’s from two-year colleges to be recognized. ACCT’s western region covers 10 states and five Canadian provinces and territories.
In addition to CEOs, ACCT annually presents regional awards recognizing community college trustees, equity programs, faculty members, and professional board staff members. ACCT's Regional Awards identify the tremendous contributions made by community colleges and their leaders to meet the needs of their communities.
"Community colleges are one-of-a-kind institutions committed to open-access, high-quality higher education for all Americans," said ACCT Chair and Hudson County Community College Vice Chair Bakari G. Lee, Esq. "This year's regional ACCT awardees represent the most outstanding people and programs from throughout the country, and we are pleased to be able to bring attention to them.”
ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown said, "Identifying and recognizing outstanding community college leaders is a highlight of our year. The 2017 awardees reflect our colleges' commitments to helping students succeed. Congratulations to all of this year's awards recipients.”
Dr. Terry F. Nelson, West Point, chair of the Northeast Community College Board of Governors, nominated Chipps for the CEO award. He said Northeast is charting a new course with a new comprehensive strategic plan, Vision 2020, that redefines its level of work with student success, student access, applied research in agriculture, water and energy, and a new economic development initiative focused on technology, among many other large and small initiatives dedicated to providing a globally competitive workforce.
“Dr. Chipps understands the mission that a trained workforce is necessary to sustain and grow this region in order for it to survive,” Nelson said. “He is pointing Northeast in a direction to do its part to contribute to the economic development dynamic of its 20-county service area and beyond. Under Dr. Chipps’ direction, Northeast Community College is not only positioning itself as a leader both within the region and state, but also as a shining example of what community colleges nationwide can aspire to become.”
Chipps has served Nebraska’s community colleges for 37-years; the past five as president of Northeast. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy Degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in Educational Administration, Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in Management of Colleges and Universities.
Chipps completed a counseling internship at the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and holds a Master of Science in Education Degree with a Specialization in Counseling from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Education Degree with a major in Sociology and minor in Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Chipps also served 21 years in the United States Army Reserve and retired as a Major in 1995.
As ACCT’s Western Region CEO, Chipps and the four other regional award recipients will contend for national-level recognition with the 2017 Marie Y. Martin Chief Executive Officer Award. The award will be presented during the 48th Annual ACCT Leadership Congress in Las Vegas in September.
This is the second ACCT regional award that has been presented to a representative of Northeast Community College in the past three-years. The late John Davies, Pilger, was recognized with the ACCT Western Region Trustee Leadership Award in 2015.
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PHOTO CUTLINE
Dr. Terry Nelson, chairman of the Northeast Community Board of Governors, (left) congratulates Dr. Michael Chipps, college president, at a meeting of the board Thursday on Chipps being selected to receive the 2017 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Western Region Chief Executive Officer Award. Chipps is one of five regional CEO’s from two-year colleges across North America that will be recognized at the ACCT Leadership Congress in Las Vegas in September.