Concord’s Baía To Step Down From Lakes Region Community College

LACONIA, NH — After 10 years of leading Lakes Region Community College, its president will be heading to a new gig in Florida.

Larissa Ruiz Baía is leaving the state to become president of Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor City campus in Tampa, Florida, sometime during the summer. She informed the campus community of her plans as the school completed its academic year, including commencement, where 114 students received degrees and certificates.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Dr. Baía, and I wish her well in this next phase of her professional life,” Mark Rubinstein, the chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire, said. “Along with the trustees and our colleagues across the colleges, I am grateful for her dedication to our mission and for the leadership, she provided to the college for many years.”

Baía, who lives in Concord, said, in the past 10 years, she and the school “prioritized students’ success,” which resulted in “improved retention and graduation rates.” The campus also grew during that time with the addition of both health sciences and automotive technology buildings as well as student apartments.

“We have launched two successful strategic plans and used those opportunities to improve culture and communication internally and build purposeful connections with external partners,” she said. “And after many years and multiple locations, we were able to renovate space to bring our culinary, pastry, and restaurant and hotel operations programs to campus. All of this work that we engaged in together enabled us to respond to the pandemic with resolve and determination to help our students succeed.”

Rubinstein said he would work with trustees and the school in the coming weeks to implement a transition plan.

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