Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher takes helm as HCC’s interim chancellor

Sep 1, 2023

Long-time Houston Community College (HCC) administrator Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., has taken the helm as HCC’s interim chancellor.

She will serve in that capacity as the HCC governing board completes a national search to identify a permanent chancellor.

“I am greatly honored to serve as interim chancellor, and for the trust of our esteemed trustees,” Dr. Ford Fisher said. “I am deeply invested in advancing student success and diligently working with our great faculty and staff to provide life-changing education for our students and our community.”

During her 38-year career at HCC, Dr. Ford Fisher was the inaugural president of HCC Online College, the seventh HCC college, which was established in February 2018. HCC Online College was recognized by Newsweek as “One of America’s Best Online Colleges" in 2022 and 2023.

As president of the Online College, Dr. Ford Fisher’s team established more than 60 fully online degree programs, and more than 70 hybrid programs with an annual enrollment that exceeded 62,000 students. Prior to holding the Online College presidency, she served as president of HCC Northeast College for 20 years.

Dr. Ford Fisher is the author of more than 50 publications and four books, including the first book focused on dual credit, High School Students Earning College Credit: Guide to Creating Dual Credit Programs (1996), which bolstered dual credit enrollment across the country and received national and international acclaim.

Dr. Ford Fisher received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and master’s degree in the Teaching of English at Wichita State University. She also received her doctorate in Education Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston.

“The Board of Trustees and I believe Dr. Ford Fisher’s accomplishments, qualifications, and willingness to serve will be critical to advancing the Board’s expectations,” said Board Chair Dr. Cynthia Lenton-Gary.

Learn more about the interim chancellor appointment at hccs.edu/chancellor.