MiraCosta College to inaugurate new president

MiraCosta College to inaugurate new president
By Linda McIntosh JAN. 7, 2015 San Diego Union Tribune
OCEANSIDE — An inauguration celebration for MiraCosta College’s new superintendent/president, Dr. Sunita “Sunny” Cooke, is
planned for Jan. 16.
Cooke began her duties leading the Oceanside-based community college on Jan. 2, after serving seven years as president of
Grossmont College in El Cajon.
She is founding faculty member of Lone Star-Montgomery College in north Houston, Texas and served as biology professor, director
of a biotechnology institute, dean of sciences, health and wellness and associate vice chancellor for workforce development with the
Lone Star System.
Cooke was recently appointed by California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris to head the 24-member Task Force on
Workforce, Job Creation and a Strong Economy. The task force’s goal is to determine where jobs are and prepare students for the
jobs.
She has taught full time and part time for more than 13 years and teaches during the summers in the community college leadership
doctoral program at San Diego State University.
MiraCosta College board of trustees President David Broad said Cooke was a visionary and effective leader with the ability to work
in an academic environment.
Cooke was born in Luckow, India and immigrated to the United States with her family in 1968. She earned a doctorate in biology at
Georgetown University and completed a postdoctoral training program at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, in the
molecular facets of cell adhesion and metastasis.
Interim Superintendent/President Dick Robertson is returning to his role as vice president of Student Services.
The inaugural celebration is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the MiraCosta’s Concert Hall at the Oceanside campus, 1 Barnard Drive.
The program includes comments from faculty, staff and administrators along with MiraCosta College board of trustees and
foundation board members. MiraCosta music students are scheduled to perform. After the inauguration, light refreshments will be
served in Studio A, Bldg. 2200, where attendees can greet Cooke. Seating is limited to the first 100 RSVPs.
RSVP by Jan. 14 to miracosta.edu/rsvp (http://miracosta.edu/rsvp)