Clark State President Awarded the ACCT National Marie Y. Martin Executive Officer Award
Clark State College president Dr. Jo Alice Blondin was awarded the Marie Y. Martin Executive Officer Award by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) on Wednesday, October 11.
There were five Regional ACCT Award recipients and Dr. Blondin was the recipient of the 2023 Central Region CEO Award in August. Each of the five regional award recipients were nominated for the national Marie Y. Martin Executive Officer Award.
“This award is a credit to the collaboration between the Board of Trustees, students, faculty, staff, and the community,” said Blondin. “I have done my very best to always make sure that Clark State meets its mission of serving students and that students are at the center of everything we do. The opportunities presented by a community college education are transformative for our students and their families, and any part I can play to increase and accelerate opportunity, I will.”
Blondin has served as president of Clark State for more than a decade. She focuses her efforts on realizing the mission of the institutions she has served and is known for both her student-centered approach and her emphasis on workforce development. Blondin’s national, regional, and local service strengthens Clark State’s responsiveness to workforce and community needs.
Clark State Board of Trustees member Sharon Evans said the ACCT recognizes the very best in the field of higher education and the competition is fierce.
“Dr. Blondin is truly the best,” she said. “This award is a testament of her ability to lead Clark State into the future.”
Evans has served on the Board of Trustees for 18 years. She has served as Chair, Vice Chair, and on multiple committees during her tenure under Blondin’s leadership. She was reappointed to the Board by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in 2022.
The 2023 ACCT Association Awards recognize outstanding community college trustees, equity programs, chief executive officers, faculty members, and professional board staff members from throughout the nation.
ACCT Board of Directors Chair and South Texas College Board of Trustees Chair, Rose Benavidez said community colleges are uniquely committed to making high-quality higher education accessible to all people serving as gateways to meaningful careers and even higher education for many.
“This year's regional awardees represent the most outstanding people and programs across this great nation,” she said.
David Ball, chair of the Clark State Board of Trustees, said, “This award is well-deserved and serves to recognize all of Dr. Blondin’s efforts and focus on our students and the great strides Clark State has made under her leadership.”
Ball said Blondin’s leadership as Chair of the Higher Learning Commission Board of Trustees, her service to the American Association of Community College Board of Directors, and her work as past President and Board member of the National Council for Workforce Education have positioned Clark State as a national leader in student success and workforce development.
The ACCT is a non-profit educational organization of governing boards, representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,200 community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States and beyond.
These community professionals, business officials, public policy leaders, and leading citizens offer their time and talent to serve on the governing boards of this century's most innovative higher education institutions-community, junior, and technical colleges-and make decisions that affect more than 1,200 colleges and over 11 million students annually.
"Identifying and recognizing outstanding community college leaders is a highlight of our year," said ACCT President and CEO Jee Hang Lee. "The 2023 awardees are among the most dedicated we've seen, reflecting our colleges' tireless commitment to helping students succeed. It is a privilege for all of us at ACCT to be able to shine a spotlight on some of the incredible people and programs at community colleges. Congratulations to all of this year's awards recipients."
The 2023 ACCT Awards program is sponsored by Edamerica.