Michelle Coach, Ed.D., school dean of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and advanced manufacturing at Connecticut State Community College (CT State), has been selected as one of 40 leaders from across the country for the 2026-27 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship.

The fellowship will support Coach’s work advancing student success and workforce-aligned programs at CT State.

“We are thrilled to have Michelle Coach representing CT State as an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and know she will bring valuable insight, leadership, and perspective to this distinguished national cohort,” said Christina Royal, Ph.D., interim president of CT State. “Her selection for this fellowship reflects the kind of focused, student-centered leadership that drives meaningful results. Michelle’s work advancing workforce-aligned programs and strengthening student pathways directly supports CT State’s commitment to helping more students complete their education and succeed in their careers.”

Chosen from a competitive pool of more than 125 applicants, the Aspen Institute (Aspen) announced the 40 executive and senior community college leaders were chosen for their potential to enact major reforms that deliver strong results for students.

Over 15 years, Aspen’s research on high-performing community colleges has consistently shown that high and improving levels of student success are closely tied to strong institutional leadership. For that reason, Aspen has worked for more than a decade to prepare a new generation of community college leaders through this program.

Over the coming year, Coach and the fellows will: 

• Deeply examine data on available jobs in their community and student outcomes at their colleges 
• Learn about transformational models from 15 years of Aspen Prize research into colleges with high and improving levels of student success through the Aspen Prize process
• Receive coaching and feedback from accomplished college leaders, including sitting and retired presidents who have led transformational reforms 
• Devise a concept for major reform strategy at their institution, receiving critical feedback from peers and experts along the way 

“Our research shows that excellent colleges share a common trait: they are led by presidents who focus on a few transformative initiatives that extend beyond enrollment and even completion numbers, centering instead on whether graduates are prepared for transfer and bachelor’s attainment and success in the workforce or further education,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “I cannot wait to begin working with this impressive set of leaders.”   

Rising Presidents Fellows are chosen based on their commitment to improving student success and advancing economic mobility, their readiness to lead major student-success reforms, and the likelihood that they will assume a college presidency within five years of completing the program. The selected fellows come from 20 states and a wide range of institutions—from small rural colleges to large urban campuses—bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the fellowship. They join a vibrant network of over 500 peers—including over 215 sitting presidents—who are leading colleges that help more students finish college, transfer to four-year institutions, and secure good jobs. 

Coach has served as dean of the School of STEM at CT State Community College since 2025, following her role as campus chief executive officer of CT State Asnuntuck and earlier positions as interim dean of academic affairs and biology faculty member. She developed cost-effective science programs, authored a microbiology lab manual and led efforts to achieve Biosafety Level 2 lab classification, and helped secure a 2024 Metallica Scholars Initiative grant to expand workforce training. Coach has contributed to initiatives including Achieving the Dream, Guided Pathways and accreditation efforts, and has been recognized for her service to Phi Theta Kappa with the Shirley B. Gordon Award for Community College Presidents and CEOs. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in biology, an M.B.A., and an Ed.D. in educational leadership. She resides in Westfield, Massachusetts.

The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is made possible through the support of the Burton Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, College Futures Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University.

For bios and photos of all 40 leaders, visit as.pn/risingpresidents.  

CT State Community College was launched in 2023 as the result of the merger of the state’s 12 community colleges. CT State serves the residents of 169 towns, as well as neighboring states, with campuses and satellites in Bridgeport, Bristol, Danbury, Danielson, Enfield, Farmington, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, Middletown, Norwalk, Norwich, New Haven, North Haven, Waterbury, Willimantic, and Winsted, with a central office located in New Britain.

As the Northeast’s largest community college and the fourth-largest open public two-year college nationwide, CT State provides high-quality, affordable, accessible, inclusive post-secondary education that enables a diverse array of students to achieve their life and career goals. To learn more, visit ctstate.edu. 

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes—with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole. For more information, visit their website and follow on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and X.  

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.