York County Community College President Barbara Finkelstein to Retire in July

May 13, 2019

News Release

Contact: Noel K. Gallagher
(207) 629-4028

AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine Community College System President David Daigler today announced that Dr. Barbara Finkelstein, president of York County Community College, is retiring on June 30, 2019.

Dr. Finkelstein, who took office in August 2014, has overseen a major $2.9 million fundraising campaign that helped fuel new construction and course offerings at the college in Wells, instituted new policies giving students greater scheduling flexibility and worked tirelessly to deepen the ties between the college and surrounding communities and businesses.

“Barbara Finkelstein has made major contributions to York County Community College and to the region it serves, expanding facilities and programs and working in close partnership with area employers to build a more highly skilled workforce,” said President Daigler. “Those of us who have had the good fortune to work with her wish her all good things in her retirement.”

In announcing her retirement to the college community, President Finkelstein said: “It has been a distinct pleasure and honor to have worked with you over these past five years and to end my 41 years of work at community colleges and 46 years in education with faculty and staff who put students first.”

Central Maine Community College President Scott Knapp will serve as interim President, overseeing both colleges. Dr. Knapp has been president at CMCC since 1997 and has previously served as interim president at York County Community College.

A search for the next president of York County Community College, which enrolls more than 1,600 students, will be launched in the fall.

Under Dr. Finkelstein’s leadership, the college expanded from one building to three, adding a new 18,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Pratt & Whitney Building on the Wells campus and a new instructional facility in Sanford that houses the college’s growing precision machining programs.

Just this year, new academic offerings were introduced, including a new Small Business Management Certificate, an Associate’s Degree in Animal Care Management and the college’s first course in Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) at the new Sanford site.

“As a local business owner, heavily dependent on the education and training that YCCC provides our employees and our community, I am grateful for President Finkelstein’s commitment to the development of the region’s workforce,” said Jean Ginn Marvin, chair of the MCCS Board of Trustees and innkeeper of the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. “I will miss her never-ending support for the hospitality industry. Her plan to provide more hospitality courses and programs during the industry’s slower winter months has enabled more people to attend class and complete their degrees. It’s a visionary program and an important part of her legacy.”

Previous to joining York County Community College, Finkelstein served for more than 30 years in a variety of leadership roles at Massasoit Community College, in Massachusetts. She has also been active in both professional and community affairs throughout her career. Most recently, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce and President of the Wells Rotary Club. She is also a member of the Sanford Legacy Board and the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk. In 2012, she was honored with the Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished College Administrator Hallmark Award.

Dr. Finkelstein holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston State College, a master’s degree from New York University and a Ph.D. from Capella University.

Dr. Knapp previously held leadership positions at Ivy Tech State College in Terre Haute, Indiana, and Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Green Bay, Wisconsin; a master’s degree from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania; and a doctoral degree in Higher Education from Temple University in Pennsylvania.