STCC President John Cook to Step Down Next Summer

John Cook

SPRINGFIELD — In an email to employees and colleagues, Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) President John Cook announced that he will step down next summer, marking 10 years of leadership during a dynamic time in higher education. Cook joined STCC as its sixth president in 2016.

“The way STCC has responded and adapted during these times is a testament to our collective will and talents. We know STCC inhabits the very definition of value in our region by supporting generations of students as they transform their lives,” Cook said in his communication.

Cook has guided the college through a time of significant transformation, including navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. His tenure has seen the largest reserve funds in college history, and STCC has stewarded more than $100 million in capital projects and infrastructure investments, including the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at Union Station in Springfield.

Signature curricular innovation includes a novel health science degree with embedded certifications that enrolls more than 1,000 students, making it a model across the country. STCC also launched an accelerated nursing program as well as a STEM studies ‘meta major,’ welcomed Head Start to campus, developed non-credit water distribution and treatment trainings, and hosts the largest set of early college partnerships for high school students in Western Mass. STCC achieved reaccreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education in 2021 and launched “Momentum,” a new strategic plan, in 2023.

“On behalf of the board of trustees, I offer our sincere appreciation and thanks to Dr. John Cook as he announces his departure as president of Springfield Technical Community College,” said Michael Knapik, former state senator and current chair of the STCC board of trustees. “John’s nearly 10 years of service to the institution has culminated in its strengthened financial position, increased focus on innovative programs and partnerships, and extraordinary growth in student enrollment, driven in part by the Commonwealth’s MassEducate and MassReconnect programs.

“As STCC prepares for its 60th anniversary, our board acknowledges the strong leadership of President Cook, his cabinet, and the faculty and staff who serve our students so well,” Knapik added. “We are grateful for the time President Cook has allowed for the appointment of his successor. The board will have more to say on that in the future.”