Dr. Monique Umphrey
Dr. Monique Umphrey began serving as Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs on December 13, 2021. As chief academic officer, Dr. Umphrey leads strategic planning for the college’s academic mission, which is focused on equitable student success and community development. She collaborates with faculty and staff and leads initiatives across ACC’s 10 areas of study, which serve approximately 70,000 students annually.
An educator at heart, Dr. Umphrey is committed to success for all students and ensuring students have the skills and tools they need to succeed in their career pathways and thrive from both a civic and economic perspective. Dr. Umphrey’s commitment to equity is rooted in a deep desire to remove barriers so that collectively, we can create supportive learning environments where all students can tap into their highest potential.
“My motivation to teach was to ensure that no other student ever had an experience remotely like the one I experienced as a freshman. My freshman year was one of isolation. My eight years as an adjunct professor taught me the importance of engagement in the classroom and the critical role a faculty member plays in guiding a student toward their academic and career goals. As a faculty member, my goal was to empower the students to tap into their brilliance to evolve into their highest future potential. As educators, we have a responsibility to make the student the protagonist of their educational journey. Our role is to elicit. When the student is the hero of the story, they can determine exactly who they want to be. I believe in the transformative power of education to effect profound social change.”
Dr. Monique Umphrey
Dr. Umphrey earned a B.B.A. in Computer Information Systems and a Master of Science in Accounting/Information Systems from Middle Tennessee State University in the 1990s. Understanding information forced her to explore her cognitive and emotional intelligence and master patterns, people, and purpose.
With more than 20 years of experience in corporate America at companies including Bridgestone/Firestone and ACS (Xerox), Dr. Umphrey knew she wanted to be a champion for change in higher education. She earned her doctoral degree in management from the University of Maryland University College, focused on community college policy and administration.
Her lifelong commitment to systemic change is evidenced by her initiatives as former president at Houston Community College (HCC) Northeast in Houston, Texas. At HCC, she led the launch of the District’s first interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in Resiliency. She also launched HCC Northeast’s Honors College in the fall of 2021. Before serving in Houston, she served as vice president of workforce innovation and the collegewide dean of the Information Technology Center of Excellence at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. In these roles, she helped bridge the digital divide through innovative programs like the “Bridge to Bachelor” pathway and created partnerships with Apple and IBM to prepare students for Blockchain.
Dr. Monique Umphrey was selected as an inaugural Aspen Presidential Fellow for Community College Excellence and holds numerous professional certifications that include Project Management Professional and Certified Scrum Master.
She offers a background in supply chain, higher education expertise, and experience building and sustaining strong collaborations with employers and education partners to help close equity and workforce gaps in our community.
Learn more at the Office of the Provost website.
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