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Biography
Dr. Gena Proulx began her tenure as the seventh president of Joliet Junior College
(JJC) in July 2006. The first woman to hold the CEO position at America's first
public community college, Dr. Proulx came to JJC after serving six years as president
of Dundalk and Essex campuses at The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC).
She has over 20 years of teaching experience in the higher education arena and was
attracted to JJC because of its historical roots.
Dr. Proulx came to Illinois with a clear vision and a plan for the future. In May
2008, the college's Master Plan—which serves as a blueprint for the future of the
physical and environmental spaces of JJC's three campuses and extension centers—was
approved by the Board of Trustees. Included in the plan are several key projects,
including the new campus center, an important part of the college's efforts to strengthen
student services as it centralizes admissions, registration, financial aid, career
counseling, and advising and counseling.
She has worked to strengthen the partnership of between the college's board of trustees
and its foundation board as it related to the support and management of residential
students. In addition, she emphasized fundraising attitudes on the part of the college's
leadership team, faculty and staff and was subsequently successful in building on
her resources to strengthen the advancement program.
Proulx is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission
on Communication and Marketing. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Provena
St. Joseph Medical Center, the Will County Center for Economic Development, and
the Will County Workforce Investment Board. She is also a member of the Joliet Rotary
Club.
Proulx holds a doctorate in higher education from the State University of New York
(SUNY) at Buffalo, as well as a master's in education and a certificate of advanced
study in administration and supervision from SUNY at Plattsburgh. She earned her
bachelor's degree in business education from Montclair State College in New Jersey.