Michael Gavin

Dr. Gavin joined Delta College as its fifth president in July 2021. He is committed to the notion that community colleges have the capacity to reshape the inequities in society through open access education and teaching excellence.

Since his arrival, Gavin has strengthened partnerships with K-12 districts with the goal of offering dual enrollment opportunities for students. He also created an accelerated workforce arm of the college that focuses specifically on adult education.

Gavin established a network of support with legislative and community agencies to discuss partnership opportunities to address transportation, food security, mental health and housing, and other issues that may impact Delta College students. On campus, he has engaged faculty and staff in efforts to align course offerings with a strong focus on retention, equity and completion. Gavin has also led efforts to streamline entry level course offerings–helping students more directly enter classes in their major.

Since becoming president of Delta College, Gavin has joined the board of the national League for Innovation in the Community and the Michigan Community College Association.

Gavin previously served as vice president of learning at Anne Arundel Community College, in Maryland, where he led strategic planning efforts to reduce and eliminate opportunity gaps for minoritized students.

Gavin has a doctorate in American studies from the University of Maryland in College Park, a master’s degree in literature from American University in Washington, D.C., and a bachelor’s degree in literature from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

He is the father of three daughters and husband to wife Alycia. He is the author of two books that focus on race and its intersection with education: Sports in the Aftermath of Tragedy and The New White Nationalism in Politics and Higher Education.