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Dr. Felicia Ganther, the president of Bucks County Community College, announced Thursday her intention to resign at the close of the fall semester.
Ganther, speaking via Zoom before the Board of Trustees, described her decision as being made with “mixed emotions.”
Recent personal challenges, including illnesses in her family and the deaths of three fellow college presidents, influenced her decision, she said.
“I have fallen in love with Bucks, and I’m proud of the great strides we’ve made over the past two years. I’ve decided I need to transition and take some time to be in tune with and purse my passions,” Ganther said.
While she plans to step back from her current role, Ganther expressed her desire to remain engaged with students and incorporate communities into college campuses.
The announcement comes several months after the Federation of Teachers, the college’s faculty union, expressed a lack of confidence in her leadership.
On Thursday, Ganther pointed out milestones achieved under her leadership: two years of record philanthropic contributions, $4 million in grants, expanded workforce programs, and efforts to broaden student enrollment.
The Centurion, the college’s student newspaper, noted that Ganther’s contract was due to end on July 1, 2024.
The community college, like many others, has experienced a decline in enrollment in recent years, but it has seen a slight increase in student numbers over the last year.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Ganther, a Los Angeles native, holds a doctorate from Arizona State University and a law degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s John Marshall Law School.
Ganther was unanimously chosen by the trustees in April 2021.
Her term was marked by recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, more of a focus on fundraising and alumni engagement efforts, and the opening of a new workforce development center in Bristol.
