NCC's President Dr. Mark Erickson Announces Plans to Step Down in Summer 2022

Northampton Community College has thrived under Erickson's direction.

Bethlehem, PA (09/03/2021) — Following a decade of unprecedented progress that witnessed the opening of the college's new Monroe campus, development of a series of student success initiatives, creation of a state-of-the-art Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and more than doubling of the school's endowment, Dr. Mark Erickson has announced his plans to retire as president of Northampton Community College in summer of 2022.

The endeared leader joined the college in 2012, after serving for seven years as president at Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio. He has led NCC to achieve national distinction on several fronts, most recently attracting praise from the U.S. Sec. of Education Miguel Cardona who remarked during an August visit to the college's Bethlehem Township campus, "What an institution this is. The programs here are some of the best I've ever seen."

Said Erickson, "For the past nearly 10 years it has been the honor of my lifetime to be part of the NCC family and work with our faculty and staff members to make this a college of the community that transforms the lives of our students by ensuring access to a life-changing college education.

"I like to say NCC transforms the lives of our students. Well, the truth is, it also transforms the lives of its presidents! I have been forever changed by my experiences here, by our students and by our dedicated faculty and staff members. NCC has become an integral part of the fabric of my life and will always hold a special place in my heart."

Dr. Erickson will continue to lead the institution until his retirement in summer of 2022. The college's board is expected to soon initiate a national search to find his successor and establish a search committee to guide that process.

"Mark's impact to the college, and this community, have been extraordinary," said Robert Fehnel, chairman of NCC's board of trustees. "His stewardship, leadership, and friendship to so many, have defined his presidency and elevated the college to a whole new level. We owe him a debt of gratitude for all he's done at NCC."

Dr. Erickson has maintained an active presence on a number of important national and regional boards, serving as both a founding member and a steering committee member of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, chair of Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, board member and former chair of Community Colleges for International Development and Campus Compact of New York and Pennsylvania.

Locally, he also serves as chair of the Lehigh Valley Education Talent Supply Council and on the boards of the Lehigh Valley Partnership, the Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation Board of Associates. He previously served seven year terms on the boards of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc.

The college is planning to celebrate Dr. Erickson's tenure at the institution through a series of events in the spring.

To view a list of key NCC milestones that occurred under Dr. Erickson's leadership, please click here.

Northampton Community College

NCC's President Dr. Mark Erickson Announces Plans to Step Down in Summer 2022

Northampton Community College has thrived under Erickson's direction.

Northampton Community College

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