On Tuesday, the Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System, Joe Garcia, announced the next president of Pueblo Community College, to replace Patricia Erjavec, who announced her plan to retire last year.
The new president, Chato Hazelbaker, is president of Northland Pioneer College in Show Low, Arizona. He will begin his tenure at PCC on July 1.
Erjavec will help Hazelbaker with the transition before she officially retires later this year.
According to PCC, Hazelbaker has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, including “holistic leadership experiences” from two and four-year colleges, increasing student enrollment and retention, developing “in-demand workforce training programs” and creating strong partnerships with the community.
The search for a president was led by a nine-member advisory committee.
Stakeholders also were given input through multiple campus visits and open forums throughout the search process.
“This search process was a true community effort. PCC employees and stakeholders contributed at every step of the process, from developing the position profile to participating in open forums, and with the position profile as a guide, the advisory committee identified several outstanding candidates to meet with additional stakeholders on campus in March,” Garcia told The Journal about the search process.
“From strategic planning to community relations, Dr. Hazelbaker brings a wide-ranging skill set that will have an immediate impact on PCC,” Garcia said. “His commitment to academic excellence, coupled with his experience leading multiple campuses, make him the right choice for the college. I have no doubt that Dr. Hazelbaker will carry on PCC’s impressive growth and legacy of innovation and inclusion.”
Hazelbaker thanked Garcia upon accepting the position, as well as eagerly expressing his excitement for the future of PCC.
“I’m looking forward to building on the strong partnerships Pueblo Community College has developed and promoting economic development in Southern Colorado,” he said. “I also hope to continue the college’s focus on student success. When our students achieve their goals, the entire community benefits.”
Hazelbaker’s experience includes his work as president of Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program, securing federal grant that supported Indigenous learners, revamping NPC’s strategic planning process and enrollment strategy and boosting student retention by 7%. He also says he helped launch programs in behavioral health, allied health and energy and industrial technology and served as vice president of enrollment management and marketing for Carroll College in Helena, Montana.
“Pueblo Community College has a strong reputation, and I really enjoyed my time getting to know the community and the college,” Hazelbaker said. “The faculty, staff and students that I met are dedicated to making a positive difference in their communities. I’m honored to be invited to be a part of that.”
“Among many priorities, I wanted to select a president who firmly believes in equity and inclusion and is ready to build on PCC’s strong industry partnerships,” Garcia said. “Given his focus on student success and community engagement, I expect Dr. Hazelbaker to make an immediate impact and carry on PCC’s tradition of innovation and academic excellence.”
