Mr. Anthony Ritch, Chair of the Board of Governors of the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), is pleased to announce that the Board has appointed Dr. Stacy R. McAfee as the next President of the institution to take office on the 1st of January 2019.

“On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Stacy McAfee as the next President of UCCI,” said Chairman Ritch. “Dr. McAfee was selected following a most rigorous recruitment process that started in January of this year.”

Chairman Ritch explained that the months-long presidential search process included approximately 200 applications, 11 interviews and four candidates visiting the UCCI campus to meet faculty and staff. Dr. McAfee demonstrated the strongest expertise, motivational fit, and vision to carry out the duties of the institution’s chief executive officer in accordance with the new President position description and UCCI’s mission.

“We look forward to working with Dr. McAfee as we embrace our new Strategic Plan and seek to build on the many improvements, positive initiatives and landmark successes achieved under President Roy Bodden’s visionary and astute leadership. We also look forward to introducing Dr. McAfee to Cayman and to our many stakeholders in the public and private sector and across numerous NGOs who continue to provide significant and impactful support to the University College,” he said.

The Chairman also expressed appreciation for President Bodden who is retiring at the end of the year, saying, “We thank President Bodden for his nine years of extraordinary dedication to UCCI and for his immeasurable contribution to education across the Cayman Islands. He is leaving us with an enduring legacy and the Board is committed to ensuring that we continue to set exacting standards for excellence and educational achievement that build on the great work he has done.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by the Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture, and Lands.

“As Minister for Education, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Stacy McAfee to the Cayman Islands and the UCCI family. Under the exceptional leadership of outgoing President Roy Bodden, UCCI has experienced a rebirth; there is a newfound vitality, stability, enthusiasm, and sense of purpose that permeates both the campus and the classroom,” she said. “He has surely laid a solid foundation upon which Dr. McAfee can build. I look forward to working with President McAfee and the UCCI Board as we continue to provide students with educational programmes that meet internationally recognised standards of learning in the core and developing industries relevant to the socio-economic wellbeing of the Cayman Islands and its citizens.”

Dr. Stacy R. McAfee served as the Associate Vice President for External Relations, Strategic Partnerships and Presidential Initiatives for University of the Pacific, a selective nationally-ranked (#110) university in California. Dr. McAfee led business, government and community relations advancing corporate, foundation, educational, alumni and government relations across Northern California. The strategic partnerships she established bolstered experiential learning, philanthropy, new program development, career placement, and faculty research. As a member of the president’s cabinet, she led presidential initiatives including the clarification of institutional core values in 2017.

Prior to joining University of the Pacific, Dr. McAfee led University of Phoenix’s Bay Area campus that served over 4,000 students in the San Francisco Bay Area online and at various campus sites. She directed admissions, academic affairs, student services, operations, alumni relations, and financial services. Under her direction, the campus received national recognition for multi-faceted performance excellence. Prior to her Bay Area campus leadership position, she directed academic affairs for University of Phoenix’s West Region leading regulatory, legal, and academic quality assurance for 11 campuses.

Dr. McAfee has more than 30 years of leadership experience with a variety of public and private organisations across various industries. She served on the executive board of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and the Capitol Public Radio board and Joint Venture Silicon Valley and as an executive with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. She has served on the faculty of institutions of higher education including DePaul University, Elmhurst College, University of Phoenix, St. Charles Community College, and College of DuPage. Dr. McAfee serves as a speaker, subject matter expert, and regular contributor for panels, events, and interviews.

“I am honoured to have the rare privilege of serving as the President and CEO of UCCI. Together, we will build upon the successes of the past while fulfilling a new vision for locally relevant and internationally recognized tertiary education for the Cayman Islands,” Dr. McAfee said.

Dr. McAfee holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management from Drexel University, an MBA from DePaul University, a Bachelor in Business Administration from Iowa State University, and an Associate of Arts from Highland Community College. She is a member of American Leadership Forum Mountain Valley Chapter and Leadership Sacramento.

She is passionate about improving educational and career outcomes for traditional students and working adults. Dr. McAfee believes that access to quality education enables both personal and professional development and is essential to sustained economic growth, civic leadership, and innovation. In addition to enjoying mentoring and developing others, she is actively engaged in her community supporting various non-profits and her church. She and her husband Terry have been married for 32 years and have two adult sons and a daughter-in-law.

Related:

Associate Vice President Dr. Stacy McAfee Named President and CEO of University College of the Cayman Islands

From Pamela A. Eibeck, President

I am pleased to share the news that Dr. Stacy McAfee, associate vice president for External Relations, Strategic Partnerships and Presidential Initiatives has been named president and chief executive officer of University College of the Cayman Islands. This is a wonderful career opportunity for Dr. McAfee to serve in an expanded role, providing leadership for the national public university of the Cayman Islands.

Dr. McAfee joined Pacific in 2015 as the associate vice president of External Relations and has been instrumental in strengthening University of the Pacific’s corporate, foundation, educational and government relations across the Northern California region. She has helped University of the Pacific significantly expand its footprint in Sacramento, San Francisco and Stockton.

Dr. McAfee has increased the market for University of the Pacific graduates by forming connections with regional employers, chambers of commerce, major business and industry leaders, non-profits and philanthropic organizations. She helped establish agreements with the California Community Colleges, including the Los Rios and Sierra districts, that improved community college transfer rates. In addition, she led Beyond Our Gates—a partnership between Pacific and community organizations—to address pressing issues such as childhood literacy and education. Dr. McAfee’s work has opened doors for thousands of students by building invaluable partnerships throughout the region.

I am particularly appreciative of Dr McAfee’s leadership of our universitywide effort to clarify and define our values and to begin the work necessary to ensure that University of the Pacific’s policies, processes and practices are in alignment with these values.

Dr. McAfee’s last day at University of the Pacific will be November 27 and we are working on a transition plan.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. McAfee for her contributions to University of the Pacific and wishing her great success in her new role.