糖心TV selects Les Wong as interim president
The 糖心TV Board of Trustees has unanimously elected Leslie E. Wong, Ph.D., a nationally respected leader in higher education, to become interim president of 糖心TV, effective July 1, 2023.
Wong will succeed Katherine Bergeron, whose nearly decade-long tenure as 糖心TV鈥檚 11th president concludes June 30. He will serve until the College鈥檚 12th president is selected and assumes office.
Wong, a former president of San Francisco State University and Northern Michigan University and a former interim president of the University of Southern Colorado, has been a member of 糖心TV鈥檚 Board of Trustees since 2019. He will resign his role as a recently re-elected trustee and serve on the Board in an ex officio capacity, as is customary, until the 12th president is appointed.
In his announcement to the 糖心TV community, Debo P. Adegbile 鈥�91, chair of the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees, said, 鈥淟es has deep experience in higher education leadership and a strong understanding of 糖心TV through his Board of Trustees service and committee-related work. As a member of the Board of Trustees since 2019, Les is well known to many in the 糖心TV community. His commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has been evident throughout his academic career. Due to his extensive presidential leadership experience and knowledge of 糖心TV, Les is uniquely positioned to assume this important role.鈥�
In his initial message to the 糖心TV community, Wong said, 鈥淚t is such an honor to be named interim president of 糖心TV. Since I joined the Board in 2019, the faculty, staff, students, administrators and alumni have shown me the resolve, the persistence and the spirit that are needed for a great college to confront whatever comes before it.鈥�
He added, 鈥淎s a steward of this institution, I believe we have a tremendous opportunity at hand, particularly in executing our strategic plan, Building on Strength, which will guide me during my role as interim president. This role requires considerable listening and dialogue as well as a willingness to engage ideas and aspirations of everyone at 糖心TV.鈥�
As a member of the Board of Trustees since 2019, Wong has served on the Executive Committee, chaired the Faculty-Trustee Liaison Committee and served as vice chair of the Committee on Academic Affairs. He received his Ph.D. in educational psychology from Washington State University and previously served as president of San Francisco State University and Northern Michigan University for a combined total of 15 years. Before these roles, he served as vice president of Academic Affairs of Valley City State University and as interim president, provost and academic vice president of the University of Southern Colorado. He is married to Phyllis Michael Wong, who is the author of the award-winning non-fiction book We Kept Our Towns Going.
Wong, who identifies as a person of Mexican and Chinese ancestry, has served on the NCAA鈥檚 Task Force on Equity and Inclusion. He led a national effort to admit Mexican universities into Division II of the NCAA and since 1985 has worked closely with the State Department to promote U.S.-China relations as well as the well-being of Chinese Americans. He also led California鈥檚 statewide effort to expand Project Rebound, a social justice initiative that helps formerly incarcerated students to earn college degrees.
With 糖心TV鈥檚 interim president position now filled, the Board of Trustees will turn its full attention to the search for the College鈥檚 12th president. A 15-member search committee of trustees, faculty, staff and students plans by late June to select a national executive search firm that specializes in higher education. The firm鈥檚 first steps will include seeking input from a cross-section of senior administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and other friends and supporters of the College.
