The names of the three finalists advancing to campus interviews for Grand Rapids Community College’s next president were announced this morning, including Nerita Hughes, Jason Rivera, and Kathryn Rogalski.
Since then, The Collegiate reached out to each candidate to get initial reactions to their finalist status and find out more about them.
On-campus interviews with the finalists are scheduled for Friday, Dec.5, Tuesday, Dec. 9 and Wednesday, Dec. 10. All GRCC employees are able to interact with the candidates and attend the public sessions either in person or online.
In the meantime, read on for some information about the three candidates
Nerita Hughes
President of Bay de Noc Community College, Escanaba, Michigan
Nerita Hughes has her Doctorate of Education and Leadership from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Additionally, Hughes got her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from National American University, and her Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.
Hughes has been in the higher education field for about 17 years, starting in 2008 at North Hennepin Community College, a community college in Minnesota. Hughes stayed with NHCC until 2023, when she started as President of Escanaba’s Bay de Noc Community College, where she is currently working.
In addition to working at community colleges, Hughes is also the President and Chief Executive Officer at JG Consulting, LLC, according to her LinkedIn.
In July of 2025, Hughes was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Workforce Development Board as the representative for presidents of community colleges in Michigan. According to the MWDB website, the Michigan Workforce Development Board convenes leaders of business, labor, workforce, and education to oversee Michigan’s workforce system and advise the Governor on workforce policies and priorities.
“I am truly honored and elated to have been selected as a finalist for GRCC,” Hughes stated in an email to The Collegiate. “GRCC has a longstanding commitment to transforming students’ lives through education and workforce, and that aligns with my own values and purpose.”
Jason Rivera
Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Jason Rivera graduated from the University of Maryland with his Doctorate in Philosophy in Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, with a specialization in Minority and Urban Education. Rivera also has a Bachelor’s in History and Political Science from Manhattanville University and a Master of Science in Elementary Education from City University of New York-College of Staten Island.
“I am deeply honored to be selected as a finalist for the GRCC presidency. What has inspired me most throughout this process is the unwavering dedication people have to GRCC’s mission, its students, and the future of the Grand Rapids community,” Rivera said. “That shared passion and commitment to excellence creates a powerful foundation for the college’s next chapter.”
Rivera, according to his LinkedIn account, started his career in education in 2000 when he was an Assistant Manager at Pace University, a private university in New York. Since then, he has worked in education seemingly without pause. Rivera has been both a fourth- grade and sixth- grade teacher, but officially ended up finding his niche in higher education around 2007, when he started at New York’s Dutchess Community College as an Assistant Director, Program Coordinator, SmartStart Program Coordinator, and Adjunct Instructor. From then on, Rivera worked in higher education, moving from Maryland’s Montgomery College to Pennsylvania’s Swarthmore College, to New Jersey’s Rutgers University, and finally to Indiana’s Ball State University in 2023, where he currently works as the Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College.
Rivera’s Ball State biography highlights his commitment to dismantling systemic barriers that prevent students (especially students of color) from succeeding using their education.
In an email conversation with The Collegiate, Rivera stated that, “My leadership, which is rooted in collaboration, relationship-building, and advancing student success through strategic, equity-minded action, aligns strongly with GRCC’s goals. I have immense respect for the faculty, staff, students, and community partners who bring the college’s values to life each day, and I would welcome the opportunity to help GRCC realize its aspirations for the future.”
Kathryn Rogalski
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Kathryn Rogalski has a Doctorate of Education with a focus on Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University. Rogalski also has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master’s degree in Psychology from The University of Chicago.
Rogalski has been in higher education for 26 years, starting at Illinois’s College of Lake County where she stayed for 15 years, starting as a Research Assistant and ending as the Associate Dean of the Social Sciences Division. Rogalski then moved to Harper College to be the Dean of Business and Social Sciences until 2018, when she moved to her current college: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, serving as their Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development.
According to Rogalski’s biography on the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College website, she has presented both at local and national conferences focusing on online student success, entrepreneurship, and non-verbal communication.
“I am honored to be named a finalist for the presidency at Grand Rapids Community College,” Rogalski stated. “GRCC’s deep roots in the community and its unwavering focus on student success make it an inspiring institution. I look forward to learning even more about the great work happening at GRCC.”
