Amarillo College welcomes new president Dr. Jamelle Conner

AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Dr. Conner has officially taken the helm as the 15th president of Amarillo College, succeeding Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, who left 18 months ago to become the chancellor of Austin Community College.

Jay Barrett, chairman of the Amarillo College Board of Regents, said the search for a new president was thorough and deliberate.

"Even though we spent a lot of time, it's valuable time," Barrett said. "It's time to think about what we want. We put together a profile right away, we had a group of candidates in the first go-around, and it just ended up not working out, so we put it out again. We were able to find just a diamond of a college president in Dr. Conner."

Dr. Conner, now in her third week in the role, is becoming more acquainted with the students and staff. However, she is no stranger to the college or the city.

"I first came to Amarillo back in 2018, 2019 and visited Amarillo College," Conner said. "Seeing the college as well as the community, it just stuck with me. Fast forward several years later, when I was seeking a presidency and the presidency I'd want, what type of community I would want to be a part of, and Amarillo immediately came to mind."

Barrett noted the advantages of Dr. Conner starting during the semester rather than over the summer.

"I think this is the perfect time for her to transition," Barrett said. "She's out there working with people already and formulating some ideas that she wants to share with the board, and the board wants to share ideas for her, and that's how shared governance works."

Dr. Conner is already planning to visit Amarillo College's other locations and become more involved with the community.

"It's so interesting how everything points back to AC," Conner said. "The support that that whole city has for the college is just incredible, and that's just not something you see everywhere."