Sandra L. Kurtinitis

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President, Community College of Baltimore County

With more than five decades in the community college world, Dr. Sandra L. Kurtinitis is deeply committed to ensuring access to higher education for all, especially those who come from economically challenged communities. “My focus has been on strengthening the community college sector and developing innovative approaches to serve students who might lack access to traditional higher education,” she said.

For nearly 20 years, she has served as president of the Community College of Baltimore County. Educating more than 50,000 students annually, Kurtinitis is a tireless advocate for the school’s mission: to provide an accessible, affordable and high-quality education that prepares students for transfer and career success, strengthens the regional workforce and enriches our community.

“My passion lies in breaking down barriers to higher education,” she said. “I believe everyone deserves the chance to learn, grow and have access to higher education. That is why I focus on attracting the most talented faculty, staff, and leadership to build a world-class learning environment at CCBC. Over the past 20 years I have worked hard to leverage all available resources – political, managerial, and societal – to ensure we offer the most innovative curriculum, cutting-edge technology, and state-of-the-art facilities.”

Earning her doctorate degree from George Washington University, she previously served for a decade as president at Quinsigamond Community College, dean of academic affairs at Berkshire Community College for six years and an english professor at Prince George’s Community College for more than two decades. Kurtinitis completed the Harvard University Graduate School of Education seminar for experienced presidents in 2015.

“As an educator, I define success as setting and achieving the goals that enable our college to empower students to achieve their goals and to build a stronger future,” she said. “Eighty-five percent of CCBC students come from challenging economic backgrounds. Seeing over 13,000 of our 50,000 students graduate, earn certificates, transfer, or land good-paying jobs each year is a testament to the success our college has in advancing the transformative power of the community college.”