David E. Nixon, Monroe County Community College president emeritus, dies at 83

David E. Nixon, Monroe County Community College president emeritus, died Wednesday, the college announced. Nixon, who retired from MCCC in 2013, had moved back to his home state of Iowa. He would have turned 84 next month.

Nixon served as MCCC’s president for 10 years, beginning in 2003.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing,” Kojo Quartey, current MCCC president, said Wednesday in a news release. “Dr. Nixon was a visionary leader who dramatically expanded the level of support and awareness of the college’s mission and educational opportunities for students and citizens. Our deepest condolences go out to Dr. Nixon’s entire family.”

Nixon was MCCC’s fourth president, following Ronald Campbell, the late Gerald Welch and Audrey M. Warrick.

He came to MCCC from Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, Iowa, where he served as the chief administrative officer of the Emmertsburg (Iowa) Campus.

When Nixon took the helm, MCCC was in the middle of a capital campaign for the facility now called the La-Z-Boy Center and Meyer Theater, which opened in 2004. He also was known for his support of community projects.

“He fully embraced the opportunity the campaign offered for him to embed himself into the community and expand the level of understanding and support for the college,” Quartey said. “While president, Dr. Nixon often shared the talents he gleaned as a professional broadcaster and communicator – his chosen career field prior to higher education. He served as official master of ceremonies at dozens of significant community milestones in Monroe County, such as the dedication of River Raisin National Battlefield Park and the River Raisin Heritage Trail. But, more than a polished public communicator, he served in a critical leadership capacity on all of those major community projects.”

Much was accomplished at MCCC under Nixon’s tenure.

In 2006, during Nixon’s presidency, wireless Internet capabilities were installed across the entire campus. The Upward Bound program began to support at-risk students at Monroe High School in 2007 via an initial five-year, $1 million federal grant. The program was later expanded to include Airport and Jefferson high schools and continues today.

Numerous credit programs were added, including Practical Nursing, Nurse Aide, Nuclear Engineering Technology, Heavy and Industrial Construction, Renewable Energy, Nondestructive Testing, and Cybersecurity and Information Assurance.

In the mid-2000s, the MCCC Grants Office was established. Since then, tens of million dollars of in awards have been granted.

In 2010, a 500-kilowatt solar array was established by DTE Energy on 3 acres on the eastern side of the MCCC campus. The MCCC Welding Center of Expertise also opened.

During Nixon’s tenure, the Monroe County Middle College opened on the MCCC campus and remains today.

The $17 million Career Technology Center opened in 2013 and provides infrastructure required to deliver instruction and skills necessary to secure high-demand jobs.

“We are extremely grateful for the profound commitment Dr. Nixon had to MCCC, as he led us through such a dynamic period in the college’s history – a period that included major new facility construction, record enrollment, increasing endowments, new scholarships and start-up of new programs and business partnerships. This period also included many challenges caused by dwindling resources and Michigan’s longest recession,” Quartey said.

Upon his retirement in 2013, Nixon expressed his gratitude for the contributions of MCCC’s employees and appreciation for the opportunity given to him by the board to serve as MCCC’s fourth president.

“MCCC’s faculty and staff persisted in academic excellence, developing new jobs and career programs (and) expanding community partnerships that reach beyond geographic boundaries,” he said, adding that he was profoundly appreciative for “the opportunity to lead, learn and grow in a community of hard-working people and generous donors who helped build campus landmarks like the La-Z-Boy Center/Meyer Theater and the new state-of-the-art Career Technology Center for the job seekers of the 21st century.”

“Dr. Nixon leaves a legacy of leadership that propelled Monroe County Community College to reach new levels of service to the community by embracing many new partnerships that expanded educational opportunities for MCCC students, all during extremely difficult economic times. He was energetic, passionate, entrepreneurial, thoughtful and so very student-focused. We are forever grateful for his dedication to the community and the college and the indelible impression he left on all of us,” Quartey said.

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This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: David E. Nixon, MCCC president emeritus, dies