Shelton State Appoints Dean Jonathan Koh To Serve As Next President

Tuscaloosa's Shelton State Community College has appointed one of its deans to serve as its next president, the school announced Wednesday morning.

A press release from SSCC said the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees met Wednesday and approved the appointment of Jonathan Koh as President of Shelton State.

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Koh has deep local roots and is a three-time alumnus of the University of Alabama. He was first hired at Shelton State in 2015 and was promoted in 2021 to serve as their Dean of Workforce and Economic Development.

“There is a level of confidence a community has to have in its community college to make a difference in the needs of the businesses, industry and residents who make up a region, and for years Dr. Koh has built and strengthened the relationships that are necessary for Shelton State to be a change agent in the lives of so many individuals,” said Jimmy H. Baker, Chancellor of the ACCS. “Dr. Koh knows the College, the communities it serves, K-12, business and industry, and, similar to others throughout the Alabama Community College System, he knows what it takes to continue our mission of making education available for everyone.”

Koh earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Higher Education Administration, and a Doctorate in Higher Education with a concentration in Higher Education Policy from the University of Alabama.

He also began a career in education there as a research coordinator from 2012 until his hire at SSCC in 2015.

Koh is a Mobile native with education in most branches of his family tree and is married to an elementary teacher, Ashley, with whom he is raising three sons.

“Shelton State Community College is home, and I consider it one of the greatest honors to be able to lead such a dedicated team that is committed to ensuring the success of every student who chooses Shelton State as part of their educational experience,” Koh said. “I appreciate the confidence from Chancellor Baker to continue to move the College’s impact forward in our community.”

The College said Koh’s tenure begins Nov. 15. He replaces Chris Cox, who served as president for a year before announcing he was stepping down for another opportunity this summer.