The board of trustees of the College of Southern Maryland has selected Yolanda Wilson as the college’s sixth president. When she takes office on January 1, she will be the first African American to lead the college in its 64-year history.
The College of Southern Maryland in La Plata is a two-year, state-operated educational institution that enrolls more than 5,600 students, according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 28 percent of the student body.
“I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve as the sixth president of the College of Southern Maryland and return with my family to the beautiful state I call home,” said Dr. Wilson. “CSM has a strong legacy of transforming the lives of its students and the surrounding region both educationally and economically, and it is a true testament to the outstanding leadership and commitment of the faculty, staff, board members, and community partners for student equity and success. I look forward to working with this amazing CSM community as we honor and build upon this powerful legacy and am elated to join a community with such a heart for serving and supporting all students to success.”
Dr. Wilson has been serving as vice president of instruction at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. She has been a professor and administrator in the North Carolina and South Carolina community college systems for more than 22 years.
Dr. Wilson was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English education and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Maryland College Park. She holds a doctorate in adult and community college education from North Carolina State University.
