For Immediate Release - June 7, 2005

(DALLAS) – Dr. Jesus “Jess” Carreon, chancellor of the Dallas County Community Colleges, announced the appointment of Dr. Sharon Blackman as the new president of Brookhaven College, effective Aug. 1, 2005. Members of the district’s board of trustees approved the appointment today during the group’s regular monthly meeting. Blackman, currently president of Oakland Community College at its Auburn Hills campus in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., will succeed Dr. Alice Villadsen, who announced her retirement earlier this year.   

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Blackman back to the Dallas County Community Colleges family,” said Carreon. “Dr. Blackman knows our system and our students, too. She previously served as dean of technical and continuing education from 1997 to 1998 and in several other capacities, all at Richland College, from 1983 to 1998. We look forward to her administration and her leadership at Brookhaven College.”

Blackman said, “I look forward to returning the Dallas County Community Colleges system and to meeting the faculty, staff, students and administrators who work together at Brookhaven College. Together, we will build on the successes of Brookhaven and continue our relationships with the community, area businesses and friends.”

Blackman, who has 30 years of experience in higher education administration, program development, counseling and teaching, began her tenure as president of OCC’s Auburn Hills campus in 2002. She also has served as that institution’s dean of technology and workforce development services. Prior to that time, Blackman filled a number of administrative positions at Richland College: dean of technical and continuing education, 1997-1998; dean of technical education programs, 1995-1997; associate dean of technical education programs, 1993-1995; director of cooperative education programs, 1991-1993; and several jobs in career services and continuing education from 1983-1991. She also has held several positions at Youngstown State University, Earlham College (Ind.) and Tennessee State University. 
 
Blackman, who has taught at Richland College and Earlham College, earned both her bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and her master’s degree in education/ guidance and counseling from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; she also holds a doctorate in educational administration from Baylor University. She is a certified specialist in developmental education and has participated in the Kellogg Institute for Developmental Educators.

The new BHC president is the recipient of the 2005 International Exemplary Leadership Award, sponsored by The Chair Academy; the 2004 Woman of Distinction Award from the Pontiac Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Inc.; the 2002 Black Women Achiever Award, also from the Pontiac Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Inc.; and several other honors.

Blackman is a presenter at state and national conferences, and she has been involved in a number of professional and community organizations, including the Leadership Oakland board of directors, the Automotive Society of Body Engineers Foundation board (vice president), the Delta Fortitude Foundation (treasurer), the Design and Manufacturing Alliance steering committee, the National Council on Black American Affairs, the American Association of Women in Community Colleges, the Oakland Schools for Career-Focused Education task force and many others.

For more information, contact the office of the chancellor at 214-860-2125 or Ann Hatch in the DCCC office of marketing and communications at 214-860-2478.