Adenuga Atewologun, who starts July 1 as the new president of Riverland Community College in southern Minnesota, was introduced to students and faculty at the college's Owatonna campus Thursday.
Riverland also has campuses in Albert Lea and Austin.
Atewologun was named president last week after a national search. He is now vice president, academic affairs and dean of faculty at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, Ill.
At Riverland, he succeeds Kent Hanson, the interim president since August 2012 who is now president of Anoka-Ramsey Community College and Anoka Technical College.
The Owatonna People's Press said:
Atewologun — an African man who attended college in Nigeria — said he is more than willing to serve as a role model for Owatonna’s Somali and Sudanese population.
"I knew that coming in that having a minority as the president sends a lot of messages. I really respect the system for bringing me to Riverland. I think other minorities will see that and find out that there are no limits. If you think that you can aspire to a position and willing to work at it, you can accomplish it. People will see my role here, and I hope I can be a role model for them."