Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges, has announced his intent to retire at the end of 2025.
The AACC is the primary advocacy organization for community colleges in the United States, representing more than 1,000 two-year, associate’s degree-granting institutions and nearly 12 million students. Dr. Bumphus has led the association for the past 15 years, making him the organization’s second-longest serving president.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Bumphus was the A. M. Aikin Regents Endowed Chair in Junior and Community College Education Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin. He previously served as president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College, and president of Brookhaven College in the Dallas County Community College District. He also has industry experience, including service as president of the higher education division of Voyager Expanded Learning.
“I have spent my career in higher education and will always champion the nation’s community colleges and its leaders,” said Dr. Bumphus. “I know first-hand the challenges and rewards of leading a community college and I am grateful to the many colleagues and friends that I have made along the way. I am confident that the nation’s community colleges will continue to provide affordable, accredited, and relevant educational opportunities to the millions of Americans they serve and that AACC will continue to lead, advocate, and advance that work across the country.”
Dr. Bumphus received his bachelor’s degree in speech communications and his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Murray State University in Kentucky. He holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
