Richard A. Bierschbach
Richard A. Bierschbach, dean of Wayne State Law School, has been appointed interim president of Wayne State University, effective September 17, 2025. He previously served as vice dean and professor at Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Bierschbach also clerked for Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (1997-98) and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the U.S. Supreme Court (2000-01). He earned his bachelor’s degree in history (summa cum laude) from the University of Michigan in 1994 and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1997.
Marielena DeSanctis
Dr. Marielena DeSanctis has officially assumed the role of Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), effective October 1, 2025. A distinguished leader with more than 25 years of experience in K–12 and higher education, Dr. DeSanctis previously served as President of the Community College of Denver. Her extensive background also includes leadership roles as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services at Broward College, Central Campus President at Broward College, and positions in K–12 education as a high school assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in math education from Nova Southeastern University, and both an Ed.S. and Ph.D. in educational leadership from Florida Atlantic University.
Richard A. Carvajal
Richard A. Carvajal has been appointed the ninth president—and first Latino—of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Carvajal currently serves as president of Valdosta State University in Georgia. Before leading Valdosta State, he spent a year as interim president at Darton State College and five years as president of Bainbridge State College. He previously held senior leadership roles at institutions in Washington and Kansas, as well as administrative positions at liberal arts colleges in South Carolina and Illinois. A first-generation college graduate, Carvajal earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and sociology from East Central University in Oklahoma, a master’s degree in college personnel administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of South Carolina.
Robert C. Mock Jr.
Dr. Robert C. Mock, Jr., Ed.D., has been appointed as the 35th president of Peru State College. Dr. Mock has served the University of Maryland Eastern Shore since 2018 in multiple leadership roles, including Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Chief of Staff, Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Experience, and Interim Athletic Director. Previously, he served as President of Johnson & Wales University Charlotte Campus, Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Kentucky, and Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Arkansas–Fayetteville. Dr. Mock earned a B.S. in Engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, an M.A. in Interpersonal & Organizational Communication, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
