NWACC Board Selects College’s New President

Northwest Arkansas Community College’s board of trustees has agreed to pursue a contract with Evelyn Jorgenson to become the college’s next president.

The board voted unanimously Monday for Jorgensen after spending two days interviewing the four finalists for the position.

Current NWACC president Becky Paneitz will retire June 30, and the new president is expected to start July 1. Paneitz has served as the Bentonville college’s president since 2003.

The board and a search committee began a nationwide search for Paneitz’s replacement after she announced her retirement plans in April, a news release from the college stated.

“Because of our thorough and inclusive process, I am confident that Dr. Jorgenson is a great fit for the college and the community, and she will lead the college forward in exciting ways,” board chairman Alex Vasquez said in the release.

Jorgenson is currently president of Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, Mo., where she has served for 16 years. She holds a doctorate in higher and adult education from the University of Missouri, where she also earned a master’s degree in the same field. She earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo.