Manya Whitaker Will Be the New Leader of Colorado College

Manya Whitaker, executive vice president and chief of staff at Colorado College, has been selected to serve as the college’s interim president for the next two years. Dr. Whitaker’s selection follows the resignation of former president, L. Song Richardson, the first woman of color to lead Colorado College. Dr. Whitaker will assume her new duties on July 1. Colorado College enrolls just under 2,200 undergraduate students and less than 30 graduate students across the college’s two master’s degree in teaching programs. Approximately 3 percent of the college’s student body is Black. Dr. Whitaker has been with Colorado College since 2011. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she serves the department of education as the David and Lucile Packard Professor. She has held many leadership roles over her tenure with the college including director of the Crown Faculty Center, director of graduate studies and chair of education, and interim director of the Butler Center. Her academic research in the education field focuses on teacher identity development, urban education, family engagement, social justice pedagogy, and culturally responsive pedagogy. She has authored numerous articles, chapters, and books including Public School Equity: Educational Leadership for Justice (Routledge, 2023), Schooling Multicultural Teachers: A Guide for...