Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President of Nevada State University, will step down to lead a national community college advocacy group. According to the Nevada System of Higher Education, her last day on campus will be July 31, and her official last day as president will be September 5. Her departure comes shortly after her contract was renewed for another four years.
Dr. DeRionne Pollard will become the first woman to lead the American Association of Community Colleges. “Serving as President of Nevada State has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life,” Pollard said in a statement, as mentioned by News3LV. During her time at Nevada State University, the school changed from a college to a university, started its first athletics department, and saw increases in enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. She also helped secure over $25 million for student programs and workforce development. Dr. Amber Lopez Lasater will serve as officer in charge until an interim or permanent president is named.
Pollard led Nevada State University during a time of change, overseeing its transition to a new identity and strengthening its role in the state’s higher education system. “It has been an honor and a privilege to have led this institution for four years, and to see that perhaps Nevada State University is no longer the best kept secret in Nevada,” she said, as reported by The Nevada Independent. As she prepares to leave, Pollard raised concerns about national policies, including funding cuts under the Trump administration that affected Nevada’s research institutions. She is expected to continue advocating for community colleges in her new role. Planned projects at Nevada State University, such as athletic expansions and new campuses, will move forward under Lasater and the university administration.
