Most of my life, happily, has been in or around higher education. My parents, both first-generation college graduates, met in Michigan State’s graduate psychology program. They raised me in a higher-education rich environment. My father taught psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ. I grew up in Madison, a lovely Garden State suburb that has become wealthier over the years. It is also the home of Drew University, where I saw Bruce Springsteen cover bands and had a brief stint as a radio DJ. I attended public schools and after graduating from Madison High School I journeyed to Rice University in Houston, TX, for a baccalaureate, majoring in English and Philosophy. Rice provided me with an extraordinary undergraduate education. I worked through much of college and met amazing people, in the Rice community and in Houston.
I returned to the greater New York metropolitan area to not be a lawyer (an end-of-college decision facilitated by working for a year in a law firm). After several stops and starts I landed an administrative position doing budgeting in the Faculty of Arts and Science at New York University. It was tremendously interesting to support a major university working to become a great institution, even in this small role. The position allowed me to earn an MA at night and tuition remission covered the cost. NYU hooked me on higher education and I decided that I had found a career path.
Faculty and staff at NYU were outstanding role models and advisors. They urged me to pursue a doctorate and Tony Judt mentored me to Cambridge University, where I earned a PhD. My dissertation looks at early twentieth century American conservatives (a more complicated cross-Atlantic project proved intractable). Through my graduate work I returned to the US and held other spots at NYU.
With the PhD in hand I went next to Baruch College of The City University of New York. Work in the Provost’s Office put me at the center of the college, and again, I was very fortunate to work with outstanding faculty and staff. I am so very grateful. I learned and grew, and was promoted to Associate Provost for the Teaching and Learning Environment. The History Department at Baruch graciously welcomed me and allowed me to teach. I love to teach. Hunter College, another CUNY institution, followed, where I was Associate Provost/aVP for Academic Affairs.
For the following next five years I served as the Chief Academic Officer at Curry College in Milton, MA. Curry is a less selective residential private institution with a preprofessional focus. The role was exhilarating with a steep learning curve. Curry has a long-standing focus on serving students with language based learning difficulties, dyslexia and dyscalculia. Accordingly, universal design and inclusive teaching and support is woven throughout the institution. The CAO position schooled me in academic leadership, in the nature of different kinds of institutions, and a host of other skills. The people who worked at Curry and the students who studied there were excellent teachers to me.
Following was the move to serve as president of Wilbur Wright College, one of the seven community colleges in the City Colleges of Chicago system. A vibrant and diverse institution in northwest Chicago, Wright College offers associates degrees and a wide range of certificates at two campuses, with many students in Adult Education (ESL and high school equivalency) and continuing education. We created a Center of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science that received national recognition, earned the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, the Padron Award from Campus Compact, and the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education for commitment to serving Hispanic students. Most importantly, we helped thousands upon thousands learn, grow, and achieve their academic goals. It is just so gratifying.
One of the most important things that I learned from Wright is that a presidency is more than a position. Leading a community college is a life choice. I am so very grateful and appreciative to serve in that position – at Wright and since the summer of 2024, at SUNY Sullivan.
A higher education lifer, I may appear from the outside to be firmly within the academy. From my perspective, though, I situate myself more on the academic quad’s perimeter, with one foot in and one foot out. It is not an uncommon feeling for those of us who choose careers in academic administrative positions. A deep commitment and appreciation of how students experience higher education compounds the sensation. In my role as president, it is woven into the job description: I have to lead internally and represent and advocate externally. It is a tremendous responsibility and honor. It is also extraordinarily gratifying, and I am deeply thankful for all the help and assistance that has made it possible.
David Potash