Finalists Named for Ridgewater College President

ST. PAUL, Minn., March 19, 2026 -Minnesota State has named four finalists in the search for the next president of Ridgewater College. The candidates are Rushton Johnson, Luca Lewis, Cheryl Norman, and Lester Sandres Rápalo.

The candidates were recommended by a search advisory committee that was comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, and was chaired by Joe Mulford, president of Pine Technical and Community College. The candidates are scheduled to conduct campus visits the week of March 23. The campus visits provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to meet each of the candidates and offer feedback. Details of the candidates' campus visits and the process for providing feedback are available at https://ridgewater.edu/presidential-search/.

Rushton Johnson currently serves as the vice president of student affairs at Pellissippi State Community College in Tennessee, a role he has held since 2018. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member for the college since 2021. Previously, between 2011 and 2017, he was the vice president of student affairs for Atlanta Technical College and served as the executive director of student life at Southern Oregon University from 2009-2011. His classroom experience includes serving as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Georgia in 2016, as an instructor from 1999 to 2001 at Stillman College in Alabama, and as an assistant professor from 2008 to 2009 at Nicholls State University in Louisianna. He holds a bachelor's degree from Birmingham-Southern College, Alabama, master's degrees from Jacksonville State University, Alabama and Harvard University, and a doctorate from the University of Alabama. He is scheduled to visit Ridgewater College on Wednesday, March 25.

Luca Lewis serves as interim president of Ventura College in California, a position he has held since September 2025. Prior to that, he served Ventura College as vice president of student affairs in 2025. From 2022 to 2025, he was the associate vice chancellor of education and student services at West Hills Community College District, California. Between 2015 and 2022, he served as vice president for student services at Whatcom Community College in Washington. Additional prior roles include dean for student success and retention at Edmonds Community College, Washington, from 2012 to 2015, director of high school programs for Bellevue College, Washington, between 2010 and 2012, and interim student affairs specialist at the University of Washington from 2006 to 2007. He has also served as adjunct faculty or instructor at several colleges. He holds a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degree from the University of Idaho. He is scheduled to visit Ridgewater College on Thursday, March 26.

Cheryl Norman serves Central Lakes College (CLC) as the vice president of academic and student affairs, a role she has held since 2023. Prior to joining CLC, she was the dean of assessment and academic administration at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul from 2017 to 2023, where she also taught as an adjunct faculty member. Before that, she held several positions at Minneapolis College including customized training and workforce development representative from 2016 to 2017, academic liaison between 2014 and 2016, learning outcomes assessment director from 2012 to 2016, co-lead for the Center for Teaching and Learning from 2012 to 2016, and a faculty member in education, English to students of other languages, reading, informational technology, and first year student experience between 2011 and 2017. She holds a bachelor's degree from Concordia University St. Paul, a master's from Shenandoah University in Virginia, and a doctorate from St. Cloud State University. She is scheduled to visit Ridgewater College on Monday, March 23.

Lester Sandres Rápalo currently serves as ambassador and global advisor on sustainable education for the Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development (OPAD), a role he has held since 2024. Prior to that, he served as president of SUNY Rockland Community College, New York, from 2023 to 2024. He also served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at CUNY Bronx Community College, New York, between 2020 and 2023 and as provost and dean of the Institute for Intensive English at Union County College, New Jersey, from 2017 to 2020. Between 2015 and 2018 he was the dean of social sciences, business and history at Union County College and from 2016 to 2017 he was the interim dean of American Honors at the college. From 2008 to 2014, he held various positions at Valencia College in Florida, including program director, chair of humanities and foreign language, and professor of foreign language and humanities. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an MBA from Syracuse University, and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University, Florida. He is scheduled to visit Ridgewater College on Tuesday, March 24.

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is expected to consider Chancellor Scott Olson's recommendation at its April 22, 2026, meeting. The anticipated start date of the new president is July 1, 2026.

About Ridgewater College

Ridgewater College is a community and technical college with campuses in the central Minnesota communities of Willmar and Hutchinson. The college is a member of Minnesota State and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Learn more at https://www.ridgewater.edu.

About Minnesota State

Minnesota State includes 26 community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 270,000 students. It is the third-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.

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