Dr. Alycia Marshall is the seventh president of Community College of Philadelphia, bringing the outstanding leadership, expertise, and dedication to student success required for the city’s college. Her experience and innovation will help our College elevate programs and offerings that move our students and our city forward. Dr. Marshall served as the College’s interim president prior to being named president. In her previous role as provost and vice president for Academic and Student Success, she oversaw Academic Affairs, Workforce Development and Student Support and Engagement.
Dr. Marshall began her career in higher education at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) in Maryland where she was a tenured Full Professor of Mathematics, Department Chair of Mathematics and Associate Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs. She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Maryland College Park, a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Bowie State University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Dr. Marshall is an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow (2023) and one of the Charles A. Dana Center’s inaugural Mathematics Pathways Leadership Fellows (2016). She has been awarded the Verizon Community Innovator Award (2013), the 2015 INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine’s “100 Inspiring Women in Stem Award,” a National Faculty Role Model Award presented by Minority Access Inc. (2015), the John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award (2017), and the League Excellence Award (2021) from the League for Innovation in the Community College.
Dr. Marshall was the Principal Investigator and founder of the Engineering Scholars Program, a National Science Foundation grant providing scholarships, mentoring, and support services to underrepresented students in STEM.
Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Marshall has contributed to statewide and national initiatives in mathematics, serving as the co-lead of the Lower Division Pathways Mathematics Advisory Group (MAG) for TPSE (Transforming Post-Secondary Education) Math and as a member of the Carnegie Math Pathways Steering Committee. Through this work, she joins a select group of national leaders to provide a voice in shaping the direction of effective and innovative math programs serving students across the country and abroad.
Dr. Marshall is also very active in leadership development and is passionate about mentoring and supporting aspiring leaders. She is the founder and visionary of AACC’s inaugural African American Leadership Institute and led efforts to create the Aspiring Leaders Fellowship Program housed at CCP which now provides leadership development and mentorship to participants at both the Community College of Philadelphia and Montgomery County Community College.
Origin Story – Community College of Philadelphia
Why leadership transitions at community colleges matter for CTE systems
Leadership changes at major community colleges often influence far more than campus operations. In most regions, community colleges are the backbone of short-cycle workforce credentials, dual-enrollment partnerships, and transfer pathways that connect high school CTE programs to postsecondary opportunity. When a new president steps in, CTE leaders at both district and regional levels should watch for changes in strategy around program alignment, employer engagement, and student support.
A practical question for CTE educators is whether leadership priorities support pathway continuity. If high school students can earn dual credit in aligned programs, then transition into stackable college credentials without losing momentum, completion rates and wage outcomes tend to improve. If alignment is weak, students can face duplication, credit confusion, or unclear sequencing that slows progress.
Another important issue is employer partnership depth. Community college presidents shape how institutions engage local industry through advisory councils, contract training, and apprenticeship pipelines. For CTE students, stronger employer alignment means better curriculum relevance and clearer internship-to-employment opportunities. For families, it means greater confidence that educational pathways lead to real outcomes.
CTE stakeholders should also monitor equity impacts during leadership transitions. Policy shifts can improve access for first-generation students, adult learners, and historically underserved groups, but only when advising, scheduling flexibility, and student supports are intentionally designed. Strong pathway outcomes are not just about program availability; they also depend on navigation support and completion-focused services.
In short, a presidency transition is not only a governance story. It can shape how effectively regional CTE pipelines connect K-12 learning to college attainment and workforce readiness over the next several years.
What local CTE programs should do next
- CTE directors should request an early alignment meeting with college leadership to review program maps and articulation opportunities.
- School counselors should update families on dual-credit options and pathway timelines so students can make informed course decisions.
- District and college teams should jointly review data on credential completion, transfer persistence, and early workforce outcomes.
- Employer partners should be invited into pathway design conversations to ensure competencies match real hiring expectations.
Additional context for regional pathway planning
To strengthen results, district and college leaders should jointly publish annual pathway alignment updates that include credit opportunities, credential pathways, and expected transition outcomes. This gives students clearer planning signals and helps employers understand how local talent pipelines are being developed over time.
When leadership transitions occur, continuity plans should preserve active industry partnerships and student supports so pathway quality does not dip during organizational change. Sustained communication between school systems and postsecondary institutions is one of the most practical protections against misalignment.
Sustaining pathway momentum through leadership changes
Regional CTE systems perform best when leadership transitions include explicit continuity plans for pathway alignment and student supports. Institutions should preserve active articulation pathways, maintain advising checkpoints, and document annual competency expectations so learners do not experience disruptions during administrative change.
Employers and advisory partners should also be included in transition planning conversations to ensure curriculum relevance remains current. That collaboration helps institutions keep pathway outcomes stable while new strategic priorities are introduced.
