Middlesex CC Welcomes New Assistant Dean of Student Support

After witnessing his mother advocate for his learning needs throughout his time in school, Leonard Russ decided to pursue social work to help other people access support and services. He got his professional start in clinical therapy and went on to do social work at a school. As the new Assistant Dean of Student Support at Middlesex Community College, he is looking to help enhance the wellness services the college offers to students.

“My task is to revitalize and rebrand the Wellness Resource Center at MCC to meet the needs and the direction of the institution going forward,” Russ said. “This includes establishing a point place on the Lowell campus where, if a student has a crisis, they have a place they can go.”

Russ is spearheading a number of new ways Middlesex can help students stay mentally well. One includes a new partnership with Christie Campus Health that provides students with 24/7 access to a support line, counseling services, and a suite of self-help resources.

“The Wellness Resource Center is using Christie Campus and the current staff Lynn Gregory and Jonathan Crockett to continue what they’re doing to help students,” Russ said. “This is while finding ways to provide more resources to staff, address conflicts in the classroom, and support students who are having difficulties in that moment. I’m also overseeing that our Office of Disability Support Services is fully functioning and providing services for the student body, and assisting the TRIO PSA program operations.”

Russ is leading a team of staff at Middlesex whose focus is on students’ and faculty’s mental health – something that is particularly important during current times. He believes that doing so will better position students for long-lasting success as they graduate from MCC, transfer to four-year schools, and enter the workforce.

“From getting COVID, experiencing death as a result of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the possible recession, social isolation, and the loss of basic social skills, people have experienced a significant amount of trauma,” Russ said. “It’s important to name those deficits or issues and bring people to a place where they know how to cope with it, grow from it, and support others dealing with it.”

Born and raised in North Carolina, Russ attended North Carolina Agricultural Technical University after graduating from high school early. He moved to the Boston area to earn a master’s degree in social work from Boston University. Coming from a family of educators – as well as parents who were in the military – he wanted to work in education, but not as a teacher.

At a previous school where he worked before coming to MCC, Russ was an Alumni Service Counselor and helped students graduate from high school and get into college. Using his social work degree, he moved into a counselor role before becoming the Dean of Students. His last step before Middlesex was a promotion to Dean of School Culture.

“I’ve always had an interest in working in higher education, so I started doing things that would get my foot in the door,” Russ said. “In my career, I gained skills and worked in different areas that made me the right fit for Middlesex.”