(Photo courtesy of CCBC)
(Monaca, PA ) Community College of Beaver County’s (CCBC) Board of Trustees announced today that it has re-appointed Dr. Roger W. Davis as president of the college with a four-year extension to his existing contract.
The unanimous decision was made at the September 21 public Board of Trustees meeting and is effective until June 2026.
“I am truly humbled by the Board of Trustees’ belief in my efforts to lead CCBC forward,” said President Davis.
Trustee Pamela Johnson, who served as Board Chair during the initial hiring of Dr. Davis, said of the decision: “As past board chair I have had the great honor of serving with Dr. Roger Davis in his inaugural contract. Dr. Davis has demonstrated servant leadership to and through the entire campus and community. Pandemic and fiscal challenges have been tackled proactively, and his transparency and integrity has promoted Board/President relationships. I have every confidence in his ability and desire to lead Community College of Beaver County into the future.”
Since becoming CCBC’s ninth president in 2019, Dr. Davis has championed student success and strategic retention. He worked closely with faculty and staff to establish the CCBC Honors Program and grew the nationally distinct High School Academy to more than 200 students from 60 school districts throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Dr. Davis has also led the development of a dynamic, engaged, and diverse CCBC Foundation Board working alongside them to support CCBC students. Under his leadership, the CCBC Foundation has secured more than $20 million in grants, gifts, and federal relief funding, and opened the Shell Center for Process Technology Education, a 14,000 square foot state-of-the-art advanced manufactured training center on campus, which was fully funded by external philanthropic support.
Committed to the people and neighborhoods that CCBC serves, President Davis and his team respond whether it’s launching the first-in-the-region Process Technology associate degree program to fill critical energy and advanced manufacturing roles, partnering seamlessly with Heritage Valley Health Systems to administer more than 31,000 vaccinations in the historic Golden Dome or creating new and accessible
community classrooms for working adults and underserved populations in local libraries in Ambridge, Aliquippa and Beaver Falls.
“Dr. Davis is like the old TV ad for Eveready batteries – an energized rabbit that never stops. I admire his energy and it’s contagious for those around him,” said Steve Robinson, Board Treasurer, who led the subcommittee on this extension effort. “Dr. Davis is a humble and caring person that talks the talk and walks the talk.” Prior to his appointment, Dr. Davis served as CCBC’s Executive Vice President and Provost, a position that relocated the Baltimore native to Beaver County in July 2016. Since arriving on campus he has successfully led the College to a strategic plan that has transformed the College’s culture of assessment, retention, and diversity, and strengthened CCBC’s core values of Respect, Accountability, Integrity,
Students First, and Excellence (RAISE). His drive to excellence led to the College’s recognition as one of the 2020 Great Colleges to Work For, and the Beaver County Times Best College of the Valley consecutively.
A resident of Rochester, he is an active community member in the region, cultivating a campus-wide sense of community growth and engagement. Dr. Davis is a board member for the Beaver County March of Dimes, the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, Beaver County Educational Trust, the United Way of Beaver County, Heritage Valley Health Systems, and The Franklin Center of Beaver County, where he
currently serves as Board Chair. He also serves as a team evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and as a board member for EntreEd, The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education. He is a dynamic speaker and is often called upon to speak at regional and national conferences and at
professional development programs.
“Dr. Davis has an extraordinary human spirit which has allowed him to lead in an extraordinary way. No one knows what the future holds. COVID-19 said it all. Fortunately, we feel very good about the possibilities for CCBC,” said Board Secretary Genetha Woods-Short, who also served on the subcommittee of Trustees negotiating the contract renewal. “Congratulations, Roger!”
Dr. Davis earned a doctoral degree in Urban Educational Leadership from Morgan State University; a Master of Science degree in Adult Education, with Honors, from Coppin State College; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Get to Know President Davis
A competitive tennis player, Dr. Davis has traveled the world and explored other countries along the way. He identifies Gran Canaria, Spain as one of his favorite stops, noting the beautiful beaches, wonderful people, and delicious food as reasons to place this trip on your bucket list.
His first book, The 30 Most Powerful Words in the English Language, was released January 1, 2021.
Although an introvert by nature, the Beaver County transplant enjoys the genuine friendliness of strangers he has met since arriving to Pittsburgh.
Dr. Davis recognizes Dr. Mary Ellen Hrutka, his first true mentor in higher education, as having the most impact on his professional career. “She taught me the ropes…how to maneuver, treat people with kindness, produce top-notch work, show up, speak up, and focus on student
success.”
The college and community leader will always consider his mother to be most influential in his life. “She always focused on excellence and exposing me to as many diverse situations and opportunities as possible.
