MONTGOMERY, Ala. – During its regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 8, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Dr. Jonathan P. Koh as the next president of Shelton State Community College. Koh has served in multiple capacities at the college since 2015, and most recently as the college’s Dean of Workforce and Economic Development.

Koh began his career in education at the University of Alabama, where he served as a Research Coordinator for the university’s Education Policy Center between 2012 and 2015. Later, Koh served Shelton State as Director of Grants and Governmental Relations prior to his appointment as Dean of Workforce and Economic Development.

“There is a level of confidence a community has to have in its community college to make a difference in the needs of businesses, industry and residents who make up a region, and for years Dr. Koh has built and strengthened the relationships that are necessary for Shelton State to be a change agent in the lives of so many individuals,” said Jimmy H. Baker, Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS).

“Dr. Koh knows the college, the communities it serves, K-12, business and industry, and, similar to other throughout the Alabama Community College System, he knows what it takes to continue our mission of making education available for everyone.”

Koh is an alum of the University of Alabama, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Higher Education Administration, and a Doctorate in Higher Education with a concentration in Higher Education Policy. His dissertation focused on a decade of nationwide trends in public community college finance as it relates to student access and state support for the nation’s two-year institutions.

Born in Mobile and raised throughout the southeastern United States, Dr. Koh comes from a legacy of educations. He is the grandson of a southern, desegregation era high school principal and teacher, son of an elementary teacher and minister, and the husband of an elementary teacher, Ashley.

Shelton State serves more than 4,500 students in the greater Tuscaloosa community. One of six historically black community colleges (HBCCs) in Alabama, the college is recognized both locally and nationally as a leader in student services and community experiences. Top programs of study include liberal arts and registered nursing.

“Shelton State Community College is home, and I consider it one of the greatest honors to be able to lead such a dedicated team that is committed to ensuring the success of every student who chooses Shelton State as part of their educational experience,” said Koh.

“I appreciate the confidence from Chancellor Baker to continue to move the college’s impact forward in our community,” Koh continued.

Koh’s tenure begins Nov. 15.

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