President Biden appoints Chancellor Emerita Constance Carroll to President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities
April 14, 2023 |
San Diego Community College District Chancellor Emerita Constance Carroll has been appointed by President Joe Biden to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, which plays a vital role in the advancement of arts and humanities education, cultural diplomacy, and the creative economy.
Other appointees include Lady Gaga, George Clooney, Shonda Rhimes and other distinguished artists and scholars.
Carroll, who served as the college district’s chancellor from 2004 to 2021, retired from that position and now serves as president of the California Community College Baccalaureate Association, a nonprofit organization with the goal of supporting and expanding four-year degrees at the state’s community colleges in select workforce fields.
The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities was founded in 1982 to advise the president on cultural policy. The First Lady serves as honorary chair of the committee, and its membership includes prominent artists, scholars and philanthropists who have demonstrated a serious commitment to the arts and humanities, as well as designated agency heads such as the chairs of the National Endowments for the Humanities and the Arts, the Librarian of Congress, and others. The committee facilitates public-private partnerships, promotes interagency cooperation, and proposes programs that enhance arts, humanities, museums, and library services across the country.
"I am honored by this appointment to support the arts and humanities as part of President Biden’s national committee,” Carroll said. “The arts and humanities are central to our understanding of history, cultures, expression, and the myriad issues associated with the quality of life, both in America and around the world. I look forward to this opportunity for national service and to contributing to the work of the committee in shaping policy, addressing issues, and identifying opportunities in these fields.”
Before serving as chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, Carroll served as president of three community colleges: San Diego Mesa College, Saddleback College, and Indian Valley Colleges. Carroll received her bachelor’s degree in humanities from Duquesne University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in Classics (Ancient Greek and Latin).
No stranger to presidential appointments, Carroll was nominated in 2011 by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the National Humanities Council, which is affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities, a position she still holds. She is also a member of the national boards of the Community College Baccalaureate Association, the College Promise National Advisory Board, and the Community College Humanities Association.
Related: White House news release