Office of the President
Welcome to Tri-C! We’re glad you’re here.
Cuyahoga Community College is Ohio’s oldest and largest community college, with nearly 3,000 faculty and staff ready to help you reach your goals.
Whether you’ve come to find out more about who we are, explore the services we offer, or take the next step and enroll, you’ll find everything you need to start your educational journey. And that is exactly what thousands of Northeast Ohioans do at Tri-C each year.
Serving a largely urban population — with 85% of our graduates living and working in the region — Tri-C creates generational opportunities for advancement and plays a significant role in the region’s economic viability through exceptional classroom education; hands-on learning; and partnerships with area businesses, community organizations, and other colleges and universities.
Tri-C is a place where opportunities abound, connections are made, knowledge is gained and tomorrow’s stories are written. It’s truly the place where futures begin.
Thank you for visiting, and don’t hesitate to contact us. Connect with our Customer Service department at 216-987-6000 for information about the College or any of our academic, workforce and university transfer programs.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D.
President
About Dr. Baston
A President With Purpose
Michael A. Baston believes that everyone — regardless of their background — deserves the opportunity to succeed. As the president of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), he leads with a purpose: to turn potential into progress and equip every student with the tools to build a better life.
Under his leadership, Tri-C — Ohio's oldest and largest community college — serves more than 35,000 students annually, helping them gain the skills, confidence and connections needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Leading With Clarity and Compassion
Baston has built his career around a powerful idea: Education should unlock dreams — not create debt. At Tri-C, he is advancing a bold agenda to eliminate barriers, raise aspirations and expand opportunity across Greater Cleveland. His efforts include:
- Connecting classroom learning to real-world careers
- Guiding students from enrollment to meaningful employment
- Partnering with businesses to strengthen the regional economy
- Supporting adult learners, first-generation students and career changers
Whether it's a single mother returning to school, a high school graduate chasing their first big dream, or a displaced worker reskilling for the future, Baston's leadership helps people transform their lives.
Innovating for Impact
Before joining Tri-C, Baston served as the president of Rockland Community College in New York during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid national uncertainty, he provided steady leadership, prioritizing access, safety and recovery. He led the college's pivot to remote learning, sustained enrollment and continued serving one of the region's most diverse student populations. His tenure was marked by resilience, innovation and a deep commitment to keeping students on track despite extraordinary challenges.
Originally trained as an attorney representing educational and nonprofit organizations, Baston discovered his true calling in higher education leadership. At LaGuardia Community College, where he served as the vice president for Student Affairs and associate provost, he helped create programs that removed obstacles and improved student outcomes.
Bridging National Insight and Local Action
Baston is a respected national voice in education and workforce strategy. He advises colleges and public leaders across the country on how to increase graduation rates and connect more individuals to meaningful, well-paying jobs. He serves on the boards of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and the League for Innovation in the Community College. He also serves on the Association of College and University Educators Advisory Council. In addition, Baston is a fellow with Complete College America and mentors rising leaders through the Aspen Institute's Rising Presidents Fellowship for Community College Excellence. At the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, he serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Trusteeship magazine.
In Northeast Ohio, Baston is actively engaged in advancing the region through community leadership. He serves on the boards of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, United Way of Greater Cleveland, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Team NEO, Playhouse Square, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Downtown Cleveland Inc., Unify Jobs/Unify Labs, the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio and Bluecoats Inc. He is also a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's Community Advisory Council and a graduate of the Cleveland Leadership Center's Leadership Cleveland Class of 2024.
Honored Leadership, Lasting Legacy
Baston's work has earned recognition from Crain's Cleveland Business, the NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other distinguished organizations. But what drives him isn't the accolades — it's the impact. When students succeed, communities grow. That's the future Baston is working to build, one success story at a time.
Education
Baston earned his B.A. from Iona University, his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and his Ed.D. in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University.
Dr. Baston’s Additional Work and 'In the News' Features
- cleveland.com: Expanded collaboration at CWRU, CSU, Tri-C a recipe to address brain drain, bolster region, new leaders say
- Back2Basics Podcast: “Dr. Michael Baston – Take Charge of Your Tomorrow”
- Community College Daily, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education: “Steps Beyond Statements: Presidential Leadership in Building a Case for Inclusive Excellence”
- Community College Daily: What higher ed can learn about unchallenged narratives from ‘The Bachelor’
- Consulting Unplugged Podcast: Baston with Host Andrew Pek (Episode 19)
- Council of Industry’s HV Mfg: “High Hopes Reimagining Hudson Valley’s Opportunity Ecosystem”
- Hudson Valley News: “Dr. Baston, RCC President, Chosen as National Designer in Residence To Reimagine the Role of Higher Education in Closing Racial and Economic Opportunity Gaps”
- University Business: “Hard Realities, High Hopes: Reimagining the Higher Education Ecosystem”
Dr. Michael A. Baston has been featured in many published works including, but not limited to, the following: