Urban College of Boston Announces New President - May 17, 2023
Urban College of Boston Announces New President
Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernández to be the next President of UCB
Boston, MA (May 17, 2023) The Urban College of Boston (UCB) Board of Trustees announced today the appointment of Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernández as the new President of the College, effective August 7, 2023. Salomon-Fernández will succeed Clea Andreadis, who has served as interim president since the retirement of Michael Taylor in June 2022 after three years as the College's Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
With over 20 years of higher education experience, including a decade working at both public and private colleges in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, Salomon-Fernández joins UCB with a proven track record that demonstrates her steadfast commitment to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education in a welcoming environment. Previously the President of Greenfield Community College and Cumberland Community College, Salomon-Fernández currently serves as Senior Vice President for Operations Planning at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).
“I am honored and excited to join Urban College of Boston as its next President,” said Salomon-Fernández. “Higher education not only transformed my life but is also the profession through which I get to contribute to the transformation of others’ lives and to the creation and advancement of knowledge for the public good.”
UCB’s Board of Trustees unanimously selected Salomon-Fernández following an extensive search that engaged students, faculty, staff, and community partners. Both the Board and Presidential Search Committee noted her commitment to eliminating educational barriers for adult learners and described her as a collaborative and thoughtful leader focused on expanding relationships with existing community partners and employers and growing new relationships to serve learners and respond to local workforce needs.
“Yves has great judgment and insight. She brings a wealth of experience, and she is always student-focused,” said Peter Ebb, Chair of UCB’s Board of Trustees. “She is someone who builds bridges and is passionate about UCB’s mission. UCB serves students for whom educational opportunities have too often been denied or out of reach. The Board of Trustees is thrilled that Yves will be leading the College in creating new and stronger pathways to student success.”
About Urban College of Boston
A private, non-profit college accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), Urban College of Boston (UCB) opens new pathways to opportunity through individualized, supportive, and multilingual education that prepares a diverse community of learners to pursue career advancement and transform their lives. UCB grants Associate of Arts degrees in Early Childhood Education, General Studies, and Human Services Administration, and offers seven certificates. UCB enrolls over 1,000 students annually, many of whom attend college part-time, while working full-time and raising a family. UCB offers classes in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. Chartered in 1993, UCB has long served an ethnically- and racially- diverse student body; of the over 1,100 students enrolled during the 2021-2022 academic year, 67% identified as Hispanic or Latinx, 10% as Black or African American, 11% as Asian, 4% as white, 2% as another race or ethnicity, and 6% did not indicate their ethnicity. During the same period, 93% of students were women and the average age was 38. Throughout its history, UCB has been dedicated to supporting students in attaining their higher education aspirations and equipping graduates with the skills necessary to succeed in their chosen careers. In 2022, UCB became an affiliate of Impact.org, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
About Impact.org
Impact.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (a Type II supporting organization) created in 2022 to expand the mission of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). One of the goals of Impact.org is to build a national affiliate network of small mission-aligned, community embedded institutions and other non-profits to help them thrive and serve more students. Outside of SNHU, Urban College of Boston (UCB) was the first institution added to this network.
As part of the affiliation agreement required for an organization to join the affiliate network, Impact.org becomes the sole corporate member of the networked institution, with responsibility to appoint the Board and while maintaining certain reserved powers (e.g., the ability to approve budget overages and by-law changes). Those Boards then continue their existing legal and fiduciary responsibilities to the respective institutions, the institutions retain their leadership, and SNHU has no legal or governance relationship with member institutions.
The Impact.org network will provide economies of scale, shared knowledge, and a centralized platform of services for member organizations. While taking advantage of the affiliate network, member institutions and organizations maintain their separate legal status, licensure, accreditations, corporate structure, leadership, and staffing.
Contact:
Caitlin Callahan
Chief Advancement Officer
caitlin.callahan@urbancollege.edu