EdD, 1992 Todd Holcomb became the eighth president of Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa on July 1, 2019. Hawkeye Community College serves more than 25,000 individuals and awards nearly 1,500 diplomas and degrees annually. Since 1966, the college has had a significant impact on the Waterloo and Cedar Rapids area, by graduating more than 50,000 students, with 94 percent staying in Iowa. Reflecting back on his time at the Institute, Dr. Holcomb explains, “My doctoral work created the foundation for my future career. We were taught to examine issues in a 360-degree manner, argue positions from both sides of the table, and defend our position in a confident and assertive manner. We encouraged each other to be better educators and people.” Todd Holcomb encourages today’s higher education students to, “Take risks, accept challenges, and stretch yourself to be a better student, professional and colleague.” Dr. Holcomb had served as the president of Western Nebraska Community College. Prior to joining WNCC in 2010, he was vice president of student services from 2009 to 2010, which followed a six-year tenure as associate vice president for student affairs at Iowa State University. He also served as an interim director for both ISU Dining and the Department of Residence at Iowa State. Before Iowa State, Holcomb spent nine years at Miami University in Ohio (1994-2003), serving as associate director and later director of the Office of Residence Life and New Student Programs, interim assistant vice president for student affairs, and associate dean of students for residence life and new student programs. Dr. Holcomb has a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Truman State University, a Master of Education in higher education administration from Texas Tech University, a Doctor of Education in higher education from the University of Georgia, and a certificate in fundraising management from Indiana University’s School of Philanthropy.
