Dr. G.H. Javaheripour has been named Interim President of Columbia College, the Yosemite Community College District announced on March 10. He takes over for Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who became Acting and then Interim President of Modesto Junior College earlier this year.
Together, MJC and Columbia serve more than 29,000 students in Central California.
Javaheripour was hired in March 2020 to be the district’s Vice Chancellor of Educational Support Services. In this capacity, he was assigned to oversee IT, HR and Institutional Effectiveness, Planning and Accreditation at the district level.
“Dr. Javaheripour has great skillsets, and he previously led a college in a multi-college district that is similar in many respects to Columbia College,” Dr. Henry Yong, district chancellor said. “I know he will serve the faculty, staff and students of Columbia College well.”
The deadline for prospective candidates to apply for the full-time MJC presidency is March 19. A search committee comprised of members of faculty, students, classified staff and Modesto community has been identified in order to evaluate the applications and conduct the first-level interviews.
It is not the first time Javaheripour has led a community college campus. Prior to his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of Educational Support Services, he served as the President of Yuba College for five years.
“It is an honor to have the confidence of Chancellor Yong and the members of the Board of Trustees with this important assignment at Columbia College,” Javaheripour said. “I’ll strive to support the great work of the college’s faculty, staff and administrators to ensure the success of our students.”
Javaheripour’s career spans the academic, student services and administrative services arenas. He began his higher education career at the University of New Mexico in 1978, and his community college career at Gallup Community College in 2001, continuing at Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico, and then in California at Chabot College, Victor Valley College and Yuba College. He has served in executive capacities for the past 18 years.
In his prior assignments, Javaheripour was instrumental in developing an extended education network across the United States to deliver courses and programs in 13 states/territories from Puerto Rico to Arizona. He developed networks to deliver Bachelor and Masters’ degree programs and K-12 and advanced placement classes to rural communities in New Mexico.
Javaheripour received his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education from Southern Illinois University; MBA from Webster University; and a Doctorate of Education degree from the University of New Mexico.
