ST. CLOUD -- After nearly one year of searching, the Minnesota State Board of Trustees has chosen a new president for St. Cloud Technical and Community College.

Annesa Cheek has been selected as the next President of St. Cloud Technical and Community College.

Cheek has had several roles at Sinclair Community College in Ohio since 2006, most recently serving as executive vice president of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges/Sinclair Community College.

Cheek also served as the chief of staff in the Office of the President as well as serving as the senior director of Advancement and assistant to the president.

Interim Chancellor Devinder Malhotra says feedback from students and staff at SCTCC shows Cheek is ready to take on her new position.

"People noted that Dr. Cheek is inquisitive, proactive, experienced, charismatic, engaging, warm, student-focused, energic, transparent, assertive, bold, visionary, receptive to our ideas and a great leader."

Malhotra says the overwhelmingly positive support from faculty also shows Cheek is the right choice to lead the college.

"A faculty member said Dr. Cheek is willing to dream big, she will take our college to the next level. A staff member said Dr. Cheek wants to find out who is not at the table and make room for them."

Cheek has her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University, a master’s from the University of Dayton and a doctorate from the University of Texas.

Lori Kloos is the current interim SCTCC President. Kloos took over when former President Joyce Helens resigned last July. Cheek will officially take over as SCTCC's President this July.

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