On Monday, Annette Parker, who has served as president of South Central College since July 2013, announced her pending retirement. Her last day at the college will be June 30, 2025.
In a letter sent to college employees and partners earlier today, Parker stated, “Looking back at my time here, I am filled with pride for all we have achieved together. But I am also excited about South Central College’s future. I am confident that this institution will continue to thrive and evolve under new leadership, guided by the same spirit of excellence and dedication that defines us.”
Reflecting on her past 11 years at SCC, Parker is most proud of the college’s decision to join Achieving the Dream (ATD) in 2018. ATD supports colleges as they develop institutional plans that create more equitable, economically vibrant communities to ensure all students have access to learning that propels them into rewarding careers. SCC’s ATD plan, “Just 1 More,” involved faculty, staff and students working together to narrow the achievement gap for specific populations, including first-generation, low-income, students of color and veterans.
“Over the past several years, our collective focus has been on making a difference ‘Just 1 More’ student at a time,” said Parker. With this goal in mind, SCC has expanded services to students, which include setting up a campus cupboard food bank, hiring social workers for each campus, providing financial literacy tools and developing a proactive advising model using technology for improved communication, with more initiatives planned. Based on the college’s successful evidence-based strategies for enhancing student success, Achieving the Dream named SCC a Leader College in 2022.
As a champion for students, Parker was honored to receive the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction from Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) last spring. Presidents are nominated for the national award by their students. “The best award is one given by students which is why I do what I do,” Parker said at the time.
During her time at SCC, Parker helped bring the college and its innovative practices to a worldwide audience. As an internationally respected expert in workforce development, she has served on more than 20 boards and committees. Just after being appointed president of SCC, she was called to serve on President Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership 2.0 Steering Committee. In recent years, she has served on the MIT Work of the Future Task Force Advisory Board and on various committees for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Currently, she sits on the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Advisory Council (Chair), Center for Occupational Research & Development (CORD) Board of Directors (Chair), Coalition for Career Development (CCD) Center Board of Directors (Vice Chair), and National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) Advisory Board.
She also has often been called upon to speak on workforce development at the federal level, including testifying before Congress.
Due, in part, to Parker’s international reputation, SCC has received more than $36 million in grants since she joined the college. This included a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for a 12-college manufacturing consortium led by SCC.
“Dr. Parker came to Minnesota with a wealth of national connections and innovative ideas that were formed through her own considerable wisdom and experience and her close connections with business and industry,” said Minnesota State Chancellor Scott Olson. “Dr. Parker’s use of fine-grained data to support student success is a model not only in Minnesota but across the entire territory of the Higher Learning Commission. She has was always been so generous helping others pass through the doors she opened. Smart, strategic, caring, wise, mentoring, and focused are just a few words that describe her.”
While she looks forward to retiring in Michigan, where she grew up, and spending time with family, Parker will miss Southern Minnesota, where she made many lifelong friends. She also enjoyed serving in a local capacity as a former member of the board of the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and a current member of the boards for Greater Mankato Growth and Greater Mankato Area United Way.
“Minnesota will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am grateful for all the support I have received while here. I hope I’ve given back just a little of what our communities have given me,” said Parker.
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