Rassoul Dastmozd appointed president of Saint Paul College
Rassoul Dastmozd was appointed president of Saint Paul College Wednesday by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees. He is one of two presidents and two interim presidents appointed Wednesday.
Dastmozd, 51, is vice president of instruction at Clark College in Washington.
“Rassoul Dastmozd has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the quality of students’ experiences and strengthening delivery of services to students,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick. “His passion for students and his administrative experience will continue to raise the quality of Saint Paul College, which already has been recognized as one of the outstanding community colleges in the country.”
Clarence Hightower, chair of the Board of Trustees’ Human Resources
Committee, said, “Rassoul Dastmozd brings an impressive record of accomplishment as an educational leader. I am proud that he is one of our graduates, and I believe he will be a strong addition to our leadership team.”
“It is a privilege for me to be appointed to this position,” Dastmozd said. “I recognize I have big shoes to fill. My mission is to serve our students, the college and the strategic directions of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.”
Previously, Dastmozd served as dean of the applied technologies division at Eastern Iowa Community College District, department chair of expanded programs and a full-time faculty member at Indian Hills
Community College in Iowa, and proto-type lab coordinator and test engineer at Schott Corp.
He holds a bachelor’s degree of engineering technology from Southwest
Minnesota State University, a master’s degree in education administration from Drake University in Iowa, and a Ph.D. in education and human resources and community college leadership from Colorado State University.
Dastmozd will replace Donovan Schwichtenberg, who is retiring. The appointment takes effect July 1.
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota. The system serves about 277,000 students per year in credit-based courses and an additional 157,000 students in noncredit courses.