Meet Lloyd Holmes
Employment
- President, De Anza College, July 2020-present
- Vice President, Student Services, Monroe Community College (Rochester, New York), 2014-2020
- Dean of Students, North Shore Community College (Danvers, Massachusetts), 2008-2014
- Dean of Students, Coastal Carolina University (Conway, South Carolina), 2004-2008
- Associate Dean of Students, University of Mississippi (Oxford, Mississippi), 2003-2004
Education
- Ph.D., Educational Leadership, University of Mississippi
- M.Ed., Higher Education – Student Personnel Services, University of Mississippi
- B.Accy., Accounting, University of Mississippi
- A.A., Accounting, Itawamba Community College
Career Highlights
Dr. Lloyd Holmes, president of De Anza College since July 2020, is an administrator with more than 25 years of experience in higher education and a track record of removing barriers to student success and retention.
Throughout his career, Dr. Holmes has worked to foster student success by developing leadership programs, volunteer opportunities and strong partnerships both on- and off-campus.
During his time at Monroe Community College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, Dr. Holmes was a statewide coach for the systemwide guided pathways project. He also served on the SUNY Food Insecurity Task Force, which sought solutions to issues of food insecurity within SUNY. Additionally, he was Monroe Community College’s representative to the League for Innovation in the Community College.
Dr. Holmes’ community activities included service on the Foodlink Board of Directors, director’s advisory committee for the Memorial Art Gallery, Geva Theatre Board of Directors, and the Growing Downtown Rochester Committee.
Earlier in his career, while serving as administrator at colleges in Massachusetts, South Carolina and Mississippi, Dr. Holmes was chair of the Northeast Mississippi Red Cross Board, a member of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a member of other agencies in various states.
While at North Shore Community College he served as a team member for the Massachusetts Community College Consortium for the National Coalition Building Institute.
He was selected to participate in the 2018 League for Innovation’s Executive Leadership Institute and was selected as a member of the Aspen Institute’s 2020-2021 Rising President’s Fellowship cohort.
Personal Story: Three Accomplishments
Much can be told about people by the artwork in their offices. Mine tells who I am and what’s important to me. One piece, given to me when I departed the University of Mississippi, has three birds and carefree lines and writing that reads “so profound has been your influence, it’s as if you’re still here.” It was given to me by a psychology professor as recognition for the work I had done over the years.
Receiving that piece of art was one of the greatest accomplishments in my career. Why? It constantly reminds me that no matter where I go or what I’m doing, I have a responsibility to positively impact the lives of others so that they see more of their own ability or worth as a result of knowing me.
A second accomplishment for me was the receipt of my doctorate degree. Growing up in an extremely poor, single-parent household in rural Mississippi, the odds were against me. I had a mother, though, who never allowed her two boys to believe that our situation would determine where we ended up in life. She stressed that we were no better than anyone else, but we were not less than others. She and mentors that came later in life saw my potential and pushed me to strive for successes that were beyond my imagination.
I never imagined receiving a doctorate degree, but I did. Achieving this while working full-time, playing piano for churches, and self-remodeling my own home was a great accomplishment. I never envisioned the doors that would open for me. Further, it set an example for others who may not have believed in their capabilities because of outward appearances or internal struggles.
The third greatest accomplishment for me is seeing students thrive because of the work that I’ve done. It is not about the accolades that I receive; it’s about changing the lives of others for the greater good. It’s about getting up daily and finding whatever my purpose may be for that particular day … about challenging myself to show students and staff that this work is about them … about helping others see who they are and their potential.
For some folks, I’ll never know the impact I had on their lives. For others, I’ll know I’ve been successful because of the feedback they give as well as the impact I see.
– Lloyd A. Holmes