CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson Named National Leader of American Association for Women in Community Colleges

Dr. Yolanda Wilson, president of the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), has been named the new national president of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC). She previously served a one-year term as the association’s president-elect.

The mission of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges is to change women’s lives through education, service, and leadership development.

Wilson will begin her term as president on July 1, succeeding Dr. Suzanne Johnson, president of Green River College in Auburn, Washington, who served a two-year term.

“The American Association for Women in Community Colleges stands on a powerful legacy, one built by leaders who have championed equity, empowerment, and excellence for over five decades,” Wilson shared. “As I begin my term as president, I am both humbled by that legacy and energized by the opportunity to work with other community college leaders to help shape its future.”

According to AAWCC, each board member contributes a distinct perspective, grounded in diverse experiences and a shared commitment to advancing leadership, development, and advocacy. Their collective efforts have shaped the landscape of higher education and created pathways for women to achieve their academic and professional aspirations. 

Prior to her appointment as AAWCC president, Wilson served as Secretary and AAWCC Region 2 Director, providing leadership to chapters in Delaware, the District of Columbia, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, and representing those chapters at the national level in the years leading up to her presidency.

As president of AAWCC, Wilson will also serve on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) board of directors. The AACC represents nearly 1,000 associate-degree-granting institutions serving more than 10 million students, about half of all U.S. undergraduates.

“Selected by their peers, the AACC board of directors are recognized leaders who bring deep knowledge and an unwavering commitment to student success,” said AACC President and CEO Walter G. Bumphus. “Their service helps advance national initiatives and ensures that the voices of community college leaders shape federal policy and regulation.”

Wilson has also contributed to the advancement of community colleges through her roles as an Achieving the Dream Leadership Coach and as a member of AACC’s Commission on College and Career Readiness. She was also selected for the Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellowship (2019 - 2020), a national leadership program for aspiring community college presidents.

Wilson has served as CSM’s president since January 2023. Prior to joining CSM, she spent more than 25 years in the North Carolina and South Carolina community college systems, beginning her career as an adjunct faculty member and advancing into leadership roles in academic affairs, student services, and campus operations.