ABOUT DR. KATHY PURNELL
Integrity - Vision - Leadership
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Why I Am Running for KVCC Trustee
Community Empowerment Through Educational Access and Attainment
My name is Kathy Purnell and I running to continue to serve our community as a Kalamazoo Valley Community College Trustee.
I am currently a KVCC Trustee, and although many of you know me now as "Dr. Kathy," I am a first-generation college graduate. I know how important it is to ensure that community colleges remain committed to open access for all members of our community, meeting potential students where they are to help them reach their full potential. I will always advocate to expand support for KVCC to ensure that its leadership and staff have the resources and partnerships necessary to fuel its mission and to ensure all potential students can access KVCC, experience belonging at KVCC, thrive in college, and attain post-graduation success.
Local, nonpartisan elections may not always be on our radar. However, KVCC is a critically important institution in our community and I am very passionate about its future. Every election matters. In this election cycle, there are two races to elect KVCC Trustees. I am running in the partial-term election for a four-year term against one opponent.
My professional experiences as a KVCC Trustee, as an attorney advancing equity and structural change, and over two decades of experience working as a college administrator and professor (both inside classrooms and in public, open access settings), in tandem with my personal experiences as a first-generation student, have fueled my commitment to education and to advocate to support community colleges. I am deeply committed to ensuring open access to higher education, skilled trades and certifications, programming that empowers students, administrative support that cultivates a sense of belonging and persistence, and supporting KVCC's talented and committed staff, professors, and leadership to fully realize KVCC's mission in partnership with educational, governmental, business, nonprofit institutions and alumni.
FAMILY ROOTS
Education is transformation. I am in awe and will be forever grateful to my parents. They made many financial and personal sacrifices to make higher education possible for me even when they were not afforded educational opportunities to help them realize their full potential. I am committed to ensuring that all students have the resources they need to succeed at KVCC, and will work tirelessly to ensure that KVCC continues to be well-positioned to provide high-quality, impactful, affordable, sustainable, and supportive educational experiences to all who seek them.
RE-INVENTION THROUGH LIFE-LONG LEARNING
Community colleges must build cultures of belonging and life-long learning to fully realize their missions. My own ability to re-invent myself at critical transition periods in my life was supported by institutions that not only welcomed adult learners, but took them seriously and were invested in their success. I was nearly 40 years old when I completed my law degree. A series of open access programs in entrepreneurship and small business development encouraged me to become a small business owner after 50. An open door that is welcoming to all learners at all stages of life and career is critical to empowering our communities.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP AND SERVICE
My dedication to creating positive change in higher education is fueled by my extensive experience in community partnership, leadership and service. This is a really exciting time for community colleges in our state. The new Michigan Community College guarantee for all high school graduates, the expansion of the Michigan Reconnect Program to help older adults to return to school, among many other programs are demonstrating the importance of partnerships to advance educational equity, to help all members of our community to re-invent themselves, and to help institutions co-create innovative educational programs. I would bring decades of experience in academic administration, teaching, partnership development, and advancing equity through law and policy to advance KVCC's mission in this environment. I hope that you will join me in building a brighter future for our community through education.