Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry will welcome its new president, Dr. Paige Neihaus, in July.
With the upcoming retirement of sitting president Dr. Allen Witt, who has served the college for 14 years, a nationwide search to fill the administrative position was performed. A Hillsborough Community College committee of HCC staff, faculty and community representatives scoured the country for the most qualified candidate. They narrowed the applicants down to four after several interviews. HCC President Dr. Ken Atwar made the final call that Dr. Neihaus will join the Hawk community as HCC Dale Mabry president.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to join the HCC family. I look forward to getting to know our staff, faculty and students, as well as connecting and collaborating with the Tampa community and business partners,” Neihaus said.
Paige Neihaus brings an extensive background in higher education administration from Wayne County Community College District and Joliet Junior College. With 30 years of combined experience, she has worked in roles including director of workforce development, design center provost, provost for strategic initiatives, executive director, executive vice chancellor and chief innovation officer.
Neihaus started her impressive career in the academic industry as a registration specialist at Joliet Junior College. There, she grew professionally and climbed the leadership ladder for nearly 24 years before making the move to WCCCD to serve as their associate provost in the Design Center. She later attended Ferris State University, where she graduated with a doctorate in education and continued to grow in her career at WCCCD. Her leadership roles and strategic efforts at the WCCCD Design Center contributed to the college’s growth through student success and completion, as well as increases in enrollment.
Neihaus brings a long resume of accomplishments to her new role, including major fundraising efforts, publications on leadership and vast community involvement and outreach. She was a two-term board of education member for two districts in Illinois, one of which she served as board president. She has presented at numerous conferences and workshops in the Illinois and Michigan area on topics such as design thinking, equity mindedness and critical leadership skills. She has raised millions of dollars for various nonprofits and youth programs.
Hillsborough Community College is the seventh largest community college in Florida and boasts an annual enrollment of more than 47,000 students. Founded in 1968, it has a longstanding reputation for creating an exceptional and accessible learning environment while inspiring students to contribute to the community both locally and globally. With student success, sustainability and innovation at the cornerstone of the college’s values, Neihaus is an incredible addition to the Hawk community.
Written by Laura Parrinello
