Edison’s Middlesex College Names New VP For Academic Affairs

EDISON, NJ – After conducting a nationwide search, Edison’s Middlesex College has named Dionne Miller as its next vice president for academic affairs.

Miller previously served as associate provost and associate dean for academic affairs at LaGuardia Community College at the City University of New York (CUNY) in Queens.

Miller will step into the role after the March 2024 departure of Linda Scherr, who left the position to become the chief academic officer for the New Jersey Council of County Colleges.

Miller will serve as the chief academic officer at Middlesex College, the largest two-year community college in New Jersey, providing leadership for the Division of Academic Affairs and all credit-bearing courses and degree programs.

She will also support the development of pathways from noncredit to credit programs as part of a college-wide focus on supporting students to be successful at Middlesex College and at a transfer institution and in the world of work.

“I am both excited and honored to join the Middlesex College community as vice president of academic affairs,” Miller said. “This role is not only a professional milestone but also a profound reflection of the transformative power of public higher education. I have long been an advocate for the essential role that academic institutions play in shaping both individual lives and society at large.”

A resident of Mount Vernon, New York, Miller brings a strong understanding of community colleges and public education, where she has spent the past 30 years of her career.

Her extensive background in higher education includes serving as a faculty member, associate dean of academic affairs, and associate provost at LaGuardia Community College. As associate dean, Miller oversaw all aspects of new program development and managed the college’s curriculum-related governance processes as well as dual enrollment high school programs.

At Middlesex College, Miller will support the College’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, which focuses on access to education, student success, community engagement, and a welcoming and inclusive campus that’s home to a diverse student body, 42 percent of whom are first generation.

“I am eager to contribute to an academic environment that continually strives for excellence—one where every student has the opportunity to explore their passions, develop as both scholars and citizens, and thrive in all aspects of their personal and professional journeys,” Miller said.

Middlesex College President Mark McCormick said he was thrilled to welcome Miller to Middlesex College

“Dionne brings an impressive record of academic leadership and collaboration, innovation in curriculum and program development, and support of student success at every step in a student’s academic journey,” McCormick said.

“I look forward to partnering with and supporting Dionne in the expansion of opportunities for students of all backgrounds to grow and succeed at Middlesex College.”

Miller has taught chemistry at LaGuardia Community College since 2009 and served as a lecturer at two other CUNY colleges—the City College of New York and Bronx Community College—as well as at the University of Technology in Kingston, Jamaica.

She holds a doctorate in chemistry from the Graduate School and University Center at CUNY and a master’s degree in chemistry from the Graduate School at CUNY.