Dallas County Community Colleges

DR JOE MAY  CHANCELLOR , DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

Selected as the seventh chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District, Dr. Joe May assumed his duties leading the seven-college, 165,000-student system in late February 2014. Throughout his career, May has expanded opportunities for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree by starting at a community college. At the same time, he brings a strong commitment to improving the Dallas economy by helping to grow middle-class jobs. He is known both nationally and internationally as a result of his relentless advocacy for the role of community colleges in solving today’s most challenging social issues. 

As the first member of his family to attend college, the chancellor realized the profound impact that higher education had not only on his life but also on society in general. This background inspired May to help start and then become the founding president of Rebuilding America’s Middle Class (RAMC), a national consortium of community colleges dedicated to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to pursue the “American dream.” 

Dallas.

A strong advocate for adult education, May guided the effort for DCCCD to assume responsibility for providing adult education to North Texas. Changing the name to WorkReadyU acknowledges the reality that people don’t just want an education — they want a job. This adult literacy program now serves more than 8,000 adult learners annually. 

May previously served as president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, president for the Colorado Community College System and president of Pueblo Community College before he accepted the system’s CEO position. Respected throughout the world, May has served as a Fulbright Scholar to Russia and has provided consulting services to new community college initiatives in Japan, the United Kingdom, Russia and Saudi Arabia. He also served in leadership roles at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas; Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, and Vernon College in Vernon, Texas.

Dr. May started his higher education career in 1978 as an adjunct faculty member at Cedar Valley College in the Dallas County Community College District.

A native of East Texas, Dr. May earned his doctorate in education from Texas A&M-Commerce. He also holds master of education and bachelor of science degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.