Winona
and Red Wing, MN (July 8, 2026) – Two members of the Minnesota State College Southeast
administration have been appointed to serve
on commissions with the American Association
of Community Colleges.
Vice
President of Strategic Initiatives, Steve McNaughton, has been appointed
to a three-year term on the AACC’s Commission on Institutional
and Financial Resilience. Southeast’s Ashlesha Pawar, the College
Institutional Effectiveness Officer, has been appointed to a three-year term on
the AACC’s Commission on Research, Data, and Strategic Narrative.
The
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is the primary advocacy
organization for the nation’s community colleges. The
association represents more than 1,000 2-year, associate
degree-granting institutions and nearly 10.5 million
students.
The AACC convenes six
national commissions focused on various issues
and topics that affect community colleges like Southeast.
McNaughton
and Pawar began serving their terms effective July 1,
2026. Southeast’s Vice President for Student Success, Amy
Maxeiner, continues to serve on the AACC’s Commission
on Small, Rural and Regional Resilience, a role she was
appointed to in 2025.
“To have three cabinet members appointed to
serve on commissions for such an influential national organization is a
tremendous honor and a testament to the quality of leadership and reputation of
Southeast,” said Derrick Lindstrom, Interim President for Southeast.