Provost and VP of Academic Affairs Rick Pearce to retire

Rick Pearce, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Heartland Community College, will retire this month after serving the College for over 10 years. 

Dr. Pearce began his tenure at Heartland Community College in 2012 as Vice President of Learning and Student Success. He became Provost in July of 2019. His areas of responsibility include Academic Support Services, Career and Technical Education, Adult Education, Health Sciences, Continuing Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Program Development and Innovation, as well as STEM and Business. 

He has served on the Next Step Partnership Council and the United Way Collective Impact Council. He is a member of the Organization of Chinese Americans and the NAACP. 

“Rick’s 13 years of service at Heartland have been instrumental in helping the College grow, fostering the development of new programs of study and bringing innovation to his various roles during his tenure,” said Heartland Community College President Keith Cornille. “His guidance helping the college advance our academic portfolio for Career Technical Education has resulted in over 40 new programs that offer opportunities for individuals in our community.” 

Following Pearce’s retirement at the end of June, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Sarah Diel-Hunt will take on the leadership duties for Academic Affairs on an interim basis. 

There will be a reception honoring Dr. Pearce on Monday, June 23, at 3:30 p.m. in the Gregg Chadwick Community Board Room (CCB 1406) on the Main Campus in Normal.