Zora Mulligan, Missouri's commissioner of higher education, will be the keynote speaker at the 30th annual St. Charles Community College commencement exercises Saturday, May 12. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in the gymnasium of the College Center on the SCC campus.
“For more than a decade, Zora has demonstrated incredible dedication and valued leadership to higher education in the state of Missouri,” said SCC President Barbara Kavalier, Ph.D. “Her service to the Missouri Community College Association, and her profound understanding of our students' experience, provide her with a very meaningful perspective. Her remarks are sure to be an inspiration to the graduates, their families and friends, and our own SCC faculty and staff.”
Mulligan was appointed Commissioner of Higher Education by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education in August 2016.
As commissioner, she oversees the work of the Missouri Department of Higher Education to strengthen the state's higher education system, expand college access for students, and increase the percentage of Missourians who earn a degree or professional certificate.
In 2017, she completed a statewide review of Missouri's public higher education institutions, working with a task force of college presidents and chancellors to improve efficiency and effectiveness to ensure high quality, affordable academic programs. She also led the implementation of a new performance funding model that includes more rigorous accountability measures for Missouri's public colleges and universities.
Mulligan previously served as assistant commissioner, general counsel and legislative liaison for the Department of Higher Education from 2007 to 2010. During that time, she participated in the development of the state's coordinated plan for higher education; assisted with creating policies to implement landmark higher education legislation, including a new need-based financial aid program; and conducted a review of the state's public college and university facilities to develop a process for prioritizing capital projects.
From 2010 to 2014, Mulligan served as the executive director of the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA), which works with the leaders of the state's 12 community colleges to develop consensus on shared issues and provides professional development opportunities for community college employees at all levels. Mulligan secured $50 million in federal grants for job-training programs, successfully lobbied for a special appropriation from the state general assembly to provide community colleges with more equitable funding, and increased individual and organizational membership in the association.
From 2014 to 2016, Mulligan served as the chief of staff for the University of Missouri System. In that role, she advised the president, coordinated activities involving multiple departments within the four-campus system, and assisted with the implementation of the university's strategic plan.
A graduate of West Plains High School, Mulligan holds bachelor's degrees in political science and psychology from Drury College and a master's degree in education and juris doctor from the University of Kansas.
St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.