STCC Trustees recommend Dr. Jennifer Cournoyer as next president

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College’s Board of Trustees voted to recommend Dr. Jennifer G. Cournoyer as the next president of STCC.

The recommendation is subject to approval from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and Commissioner of Higher Education on May 19. If approved, she would be the seventh president of STCC and first woman to lead the institution.

Cournoyer, who serves as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at River Valley Community College in Claremont, N.H., brings more than 12 years of experience in two-year colleges across New England.

The Board’s unanimous decision on May 4 is the result of a nationwide, comprehensive search that began with listening sessions involving various constituency groups at the college in November 2025. The Presidential Search Committee, which included STCC Trustees, faculty, staff, students and community partners, selected three finalists to visit the STCC campus and engage with the broader community.

During her visit in April, Cournoyer toured the campus and participated in open interview sessions with faculty, staff, students and the Board of Trustees.

Michael R. Knapik, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Springfield Technical Community College, said Cournoyer will start her tenure this summer, pending approval from the Board of Higher Education and commissioner.

“I am pleased to join with my colleagues on the Board of Trustees in celebrating our vote in favor of the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Cournoyer as the next president of Springfield Technical Community College,” Knapik said. “This collaborative effort from all facets of the campus community has resulted in a selection of an individual who has our full confidence as she begins her tenure.”

STCC is in an exceptionally strong place as it serves our region and Commonwealth. We look forward to working with Dr. Cournoyer to advance its position and strengthen the institution for the next generation of learners. Michael R. Knapik, Chair, Board of Trustees at STCC

In identifying STCC’s next leader, Knapik said it was the Board’s desire to find an individual devoted to student success and who could build relationships, strengthen trust and unite teams throughout the college.

“STCC is in an exceptionally strong place as it serves our region and Commonwealth. We look forward to working with Dr. Cournoyer to advance its position and strengthen the institution for the next generation of learners,” Knapik said. “I am grateful to the students, faculty, staff and community members who assisted the Board throughout the search process. Together, we have found a leader who will elevate STCC to higher levels of achievement and excellence.”

Cournoyer holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish from Stonehill College.

She has held the position of Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at River Valley Community College since 2019. Before that, she was Director of Library Services & Academic Supports at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson, Conn. 

She was selected as a 2025–2026 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow, reflecting national recognition of her leadership in advancing community college student success.

“Springfield Technical Community College plays a vital role in transforming lives and strengthening the economic future of the region, and I am deeply honored to be selected as the College’s next president. I look forward to listening, learning, and partnering with the campus and community to advance student success and help shape the College’s next chapter,” Cournoyer said.

Cournoyer will succeed Dr. John B. Cook, the college’s sixth president, who is stepping down Aug. 1, 2026, after 10 years of service.

STCC distinguishes itself as the Commonwealth’s only technical community college, and this unique status underscores the institution’s pride and responsibility in providing career education and pathways to its diverse student body.

The new president will build on STCC’s recent successes, including the substantial expansion of community access to health programs through the establishment of the Health Science Program, the launch of the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, and the funding and planning for the relocation of the School of Health and Patient Simulation.

More information about the search process, including a biography of Cournoyer, can be found at stcc.edu/about-stcc/employment/presidentialsearch/. Photographs of the search committee, committee chair and board chair are available upon request.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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