Finalists Named for Presidency of South Central College

ST. PAUL, March 20, 2025 – Minnesota State has named four finalists in the search for the president of South Central College. The candidates are Heather Bigard, Ritu Raju, Tia Robinson-Cooper, and Lester Sandres Rápalo.

The candidates were recommended by a search advisory committee that was comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, and was chaired by Michael Berndt, president of Dakota County Technical College and Inver Hills Community College. The candidates are scheduled to conduct campus visits the week of March 24. The campus visits provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to meet each of the candidates and offer feedback. Details of the candidates’ campus visits and the process for providing feedback are available at www.southcentral.edu/about/presidential-search.html. 

Heather Bigard served Lake-Sumter State College (FL) as president and chief executive officer between July 2022 and August 2024. Previously, she served Lake-Sumter as interim president from March-July 2022, and provost and executive vice president between 2016-2022. Prior to that, she was vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer at Midway University (KY) from 2015-2016, vice president administration and finance and chief financial officer at Blackburn College (IL) from 2008-2015, chief financial and operations officer at Springfield College (IL) between 1998-2008, financial aid and enrollment management coordinator for Deaconess College of Nursing (MO) in 1998, and financial aid counselor and work program administrator at Lambuth University (TN) between 1995-1997. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Lambuth University, and a master’s and doctorate from Benedictine University. She is scheduled to visit South Central College on Wednesday, March 26, starting on the Faribault campus.

Ritu Raju currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Gateway Technical College (WI), a role she has held since January 2023. Previously she served as vice president of academic affairs at Tarrant County College Northeast Campus (TX) from 2020-2022. She served Houston Community College (TX) as dean and interim dean of Advanced Manufacturing from 2018-2020, division chair for speech, communication and sign language from 2015-2018, associate chair technical and mass communication between 2008-2015, and taught English at the college from 2006-2014. She holds bachelor’s degrees from Bangalore University India and the University of Houston Downtown, a master’s from Sam Houston State University, and a doctorate from Texas Tech University. She is scheduled to visit South Central College on Wednesday, March 26, beginning on the North Mankato campus.

Tia Robinson-Cooper served Ivy Tech Community College (IN) as chancellor between 2022-2024. Prior to that, she was the president at Contra Costa Community College (CA) from 2021-2022, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Inver Hills Community College (MN) from 2018-2021, vice president of academic affairs/chief academic officer for East Central College (MO) between 2016-2018, dean of teaching and learning from 2015-2016 at Rock Valley College (IL), dean of instruction at Olive-Harvey College (IL) between 2013-2015, as well as a faculty member at Olive-Harvey from 2006-2013, dean of academic affairs at Northwestern College (IL) from 2008-2013, and dean of instruction for American InterContinental University College of Business and Management (IL) between 2003-2006. She holds an associate’s degree from Kishwaukee College, a bachelor’s from Northern Illinois University, two masters’ degrees from National Louis University, and a doctorate from Northern Illinois University. She is scheduled to visit South Central College on Tuesday, March 25, starting on the Faribault campus.

Lester Sandres Rápalo served as president of Rockland Community College (NY) from 2023-2024. Prior to that, he served Bronx Community College (NY) between 2020-2023 as provost and vice president for academic affairs. He held a number of positions at Union County College (NJ) including provost and dean of the Institute for Intensive English from 2017-2020, dean of social sciences, business and history from 2015-2018, and interim dean of American honors between 2016-2017. He served Valencia College (FL) from 2008-2014 in various roles such as interim dean of humanities and foreign language, program director, and chair of humanities and foreign language. From 2004-2006, he served the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA) as study abroad program director and residence director, and since 2017 he has served as a professor of business for Saint Elizabeth University (NJ). He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, a master of business administration from Syracuse University-Whitman School of Management, and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. He is scheduled to visit South Central College on Tuesday, March 25, beginning on the North Mankato campus.

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is expected to consider Chancellor Scott Olson’s recommendation at its April 16, 2025, meeting. The anticipated start date of the new president is July 1, 2025.

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Minnesota State includes 26 community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 270,000 students. It is the fourth-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.