Prairie State College to hold investiture ceremony for its first Black president, Michael D. Anthony, Ph.D.

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Prairie State College (PSC) will celebrate the investiture of its 16th president, Michael D. Anthony, Ph.D., during a ceremony held on Thursday, September 15, 2022, at 10 a.m. in the PSC Barnes & Noble College Auditorium located at 202 S. Halsted Street in Chicago Heights, Ill. 

Dr. Anthony, the first Black president and the youngest to hold the position, officially assumed his role as PSC president on October 15, 2021. Prior to his transition as president, Dr. Anthony served as Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness in 2019. He has 18 years of experience in higher education and has been involved nationally within the student affairs profession since the start of his career. 

Prior to PSC, Dr. Anthony served as the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN. Before that, he was the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer at Oakton Community College and the inaugural Director of the Cultural Center at the University of Louisville, where he served in the Office of the Provost.

"Dr. Anthony is a visionary and an outstanding leader, who is instrumental in the growth of this institution," said Dr. Ronnie White, Chairman, Prairie State College Board of Trustees. "We look forward to celebrating with him at the upcoming investiture ceremony." 

Dr. Anthony holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development; a master's degree in Higher Education Administration, both from the University of Louisville; and a bachelor's degree in Business Management with a concentration in Marketing from North Carolina State University. Dr. Anthony sits on the Board of Directors for New Star, and the Prairie State College Foundation. He also is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

The investiture will be hosted as part of Homecoming Week at PSC. Due to limited seating and social distancing, the President's Investiture is by invitation only. For media requesting press passes to the ceremony, please contact Jeri Bingham at [email protected] for access to this event. 

Prairie State College (PSC) is hosting a week of Homecoming events in celebration of the President's investiture which includes the Tuskegee Airmen CAF Red Tails Traveling Exhibit, 9/14, Reach for the Stars PSC Scholarship Gala, 9/16, and other academic and social activities for the community from September 12 - 17th.  For more information, visit prairiestate.edu/events. 

Prairie State College is the first Illinois community college to guarantee all credits will transfer to other Illinois colleges and universities, an assurance that has grown through the Illinois Articulation Initiative. We hold true to our vision to offer rigorous academic programs, meet the needs of the local workforce, cultivate the values of sustainability, and demonstrate an awareness of its responsibilities in a global society. We strive to provide opportunities for our students to start near, and go far.

For more information, visit prairiestate.edu and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

SOURCE Prairie State College