Nevada State University President Takes Top Job at National College Organization

Dr. DeRionne Pollard, the first Black woman to serve as president of Nevada State University, will step down on July 31 to become the first woman president of the American Association of Community Colleges. Her new role, which begins in September, will place her at the forefront of national advocacy for more than 1,000 institutions and 10 million students.

"Dr. Pollard has led Nevada State through a period of remarkable growth and progress," NSHE Chancellor Matt McNair said. "She has elevated Nevada State's role in the state and the country."

Despite her contract renewal through August 2029, Pollard accepted the opportunity to lead the national organization, citing a desire to expand her impact on community colleges. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue a role that, I think, will have [a] very broad-based impact on the higher education space," she said. "It's an opportunity, I think, to advocate in a space that will also hopefully benefit Nevada as well as the rest of the country."

Pollard's tenure saw the transformation of Nevada State College into Nevada State University in 2023, the launch of its first athletics program, and the formation of strategic partnerships with regional high schools and government agencies. She secured over $25 million in funding for student and workforce initiatives, oversaw the planning of a new 30,000-square-foot campus in North Las Vegas, and announced a collaborative project with the City of Las Vegas to create a juvenile health care education center. Enrollment, retention, and graduation rates all improved under her leadership, and the university achieved institutional accreditation.

"Together, we expanded access, reimagined student success, and forged powerful partnerships that elevated the promise of this institution," Pollard said. "I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished."

"It has been an honor and a privilege to have led this institution for four years, and to see that perhaps Nevada State University is no longer the best-kept secret in Nevada," she added. "It is an institution that is worthy of the recognition for the impact that it makes, the students it serves and most importantly, our future is so bright."

Dr. Amber Lopez Lasater, Chief of Staff and Strategy, will serve as Officer in Charge until a new President is appointed.