“Los Rios is widely hailed as one of the best managed community college districts,” Crumpton said. “Given the scope and size of its operation and service area, this is no small feat. Everyone in this room in this region benefits from this strength. We are grateful.”As a first-generation college student, Powell said his own educational journey will shape how he leads the district, where about 8.4% of students identify as Black.
“My experiences as a first-generation student have profoundly shaped my leadership,” he said. “I have personally lived the challenges of navigating higher education spaces in which I didn’t have the social capital so critical to persistence and success.”
He credits the care and support he received as a student at CRC with helping him build the skills needed to succeed and said he wants today’s students to have similar opportunities.
“One of my goals is to ensure that our colleges continue to operate from a student-centric model and that we invest our efforts into holistically developing the entire student,” Powell said.
Beyond student success, Powell said strengthening relationships with the Sacramento community will be a central focus of his administration.
“There is a reason that the word ‘community’ precedes ‘colleges’ in our institution’s title,” he said. “Community engagement, community focus and community partnerships are essential to our success in educating our students.”
He said he plans to deepen partnerships throughout the region while positioning Los Rios as “a hub for innovation and student success.”
For Powell, however, the opportunity carries deeper meaning.
“Sacramento is home for me,” he said. “I grew up in the Valley Hi neighborhood of South Sacramento, and having the privilege of serving the greater Sacramento region as chancellor of Los Rios is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of positively impacting my community. I can’t wait to get started.”