MCC Daily Tribune

Academic and Student Affairs AVP Search Update

Associate Vice President of Student Development: Please join me in extending congratulations to Dr. Ryan Messenger on his appointment as the Associate Vice President of Student Development. With eight years of experience in administration at MCC, Ryan has made significant contributions to the college. He recently served in an acting capacity for the position he now officially holds. During his time in the acting role, Ryan demonstrated exceptional leadership and oversight for key areas such as Athletics, Student Life and Leadership Development, Student Rights and Responsibilities, and Health and Wellness. He also managed the student conduct system, behavioral intervention team, Student Resource Committee, and Commencement Planning Committee.

Ryan’s dedication to MCC extends beyond his recent position as Acting AVP, Student Affairs. He also made valuable contributions as the Assistant to the Vice President, Student Services, and as the Acting Coordinator, Testing Services. In these roles, he served as one of MCC's Title IX coordinators and as the College Ombudsman, responsibilities that he continues to fulfill. Additionally, he actively participated in the Strategic Planning Leadership Team for Vision2027, led the student affairs unit assessment process, and played a key role in MCC's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a member of both the emergency operations committee and tactical working group.

Ryan’s comprehensive understanding of MCC's Student Affairs Operations, Student Government, and planning and resource management will undoubtedly contribute to maintaining our positive momentum. As we strive to provide accessible and high-quality educational opportunities to the Rochester community, Ryan’s expertise will be instrumental in our efforts to achieve our goals. Ryan will transition to the permanent position later this month.

Associate Vice President of Student Success and Strategic Initiatives: Please join me in congratulating Gary Johnson on his well-deserved promotion to the position of Associate Vice President for Student Success and Strategic Initiatives. Gary has been a valuable asset to MCC since he joined the institution five years ago, bringing with him a wealth of experience in student-focused initiatives from his previous work at RIT, SUNY Brockport, and Nazareth College.

During his tenure as MCC's Director of Schools & Integrated Pathways, Gary played a pivotal role as the College lead for our guided pathways cohorts. His responsibilities included directing cross-divisional Student Success Committees and collaborating with Deans, faculty, and staff to implement proven strategies for student success. As Director, Gary also oversaw The Schools@MCC, where he effectively managed a team of school specialists and other staff members dedicated to promoting student success through persistence and retention solutions. Additionally, he was responsible for overseeing the satisfactory academic progress process at MCC.

Prior to joining MCC, Gary served as the Associate Director for University Advising at RIT, where he supervised the organization and professional development of over 75 academic advisors. He implemented a highly effective "weekly updates" e-bulletin to facilitate information dissemination among the advising community and maintained the department's website, advisor handbook, and advisor toolkit. Furthermore, at SUNY Brockport, Gary served as the School of Business representative for the SUNY Seamless Transfer initiative, successfully developing transfer pathways to the School of Business programs.

MCC is fortunate to have Gary's unwavering dedication to student success and his extensive background from various educational institutions. His proven track record and expertise will undoubtedly contribute significantly to the advancement of our institution. Once again, congratulations to Gary Johnson on his well-earned promotion! Gary will officially assume his new role on August 1, 2023.

Both appointments are contingent upon Board of Trustee approval. 

Extending my gratitude: Additionally, I want to thank the search committee chairs and members. Their work on a very tight timeline was beyond impressive. Each search attracted over thirty talented and highly qualified individuals to consider.  A special thank you goes out to Maureen Karlnoski and Linda Ziegler. Their determination to coordinate interviews and schedule finalists drove these searches across the finish line with ease.  

Margaret Semmer
Academic and Student Affairs
07/14/2023