Submitted by Whatcom Community College
Two new administrators are filling key leadership positions at Whatcom Community College (WCC). Curt Freed is vice president for instruction, and Dr. Luca Lewis will serve as the College’s vice president for student services.
“We are extremely fortunate that Curt and Luca chose to continue their outstanding careers at Whatcom Community College,” says WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown. “Their backgrounds and expertise will benefit our entire campus as well as the community we serve. I look forward to their leadership on behalf of students, faculty and staff, and to the new ideas and collaborations they will form with our partners in Bellingham and Whatcom County.”
During his 19 years in the Washington community college system, Freed has gained significant experience in associate and baccalaureate degree program development, accreditation, workforce and economic development, and college/community partnerships. As vice president for instruction, he oversees implementation and evaluation of WCC’s instructional programs and supports faculty with the resources they need to help students reach their goals. His initial priorities at Whatcom include supporting excellence in teaching and learning; promoting faculty leadership and scholarship; engaging the campus and community in support of economic, workforce and cultural advances in Whatcom County; and promoting WCC as a first-choice community provider in arts and humanities, STEM, and workforce development.
A Ferndale native, Lewis was previously the dean for student success and retention at Edmonds Community College. He has more than 12 years of experience in higher education, with extensive training and expertise in both instructional pedagogy and administrative leadership. As vice president for student services, he oversees support services and a variety of programs and activities that enhance students’ academic experiences. His goals at Whatcom include working with the campus community to implement a strengths-based strategy to help students persist and succeed; identifying and prioritizing resources for marginalized and vulnerable students and families through financial aid literacy programs and access for all students to campus and community resources; and ensuring the success of Whatcom’s diverse student population through community partnerships and increased professional development opportunities for student services staff.
Together, Freed and Lewis will focus on extending WCC’s collaboration with K-12 partners and building a collective strategy for seamless pathways to college.
