AURORA | Mordecai Brownlee will step down as president of the Community College of Aurora at the end of the fall semester, the Colorado Community College System announced Tuesday.

Brownlee’s final day as president of CCA will be Dec. 31.

“Dr. Brownlee has provided extraordinary leadership to CCA and has made a lasting impact on the college, the Aurora community, and our entire System,” Colorado Community College System Chancellor Dr. Marielena DeSanctis said in a statement. “His passion for students, belief in the transformative power of education, and ability to bring people together around a shared vision have defined his presidency. He has also been an exceptional colleague and deeply valued member of our System leadership team. I have tremendous respect and gratitude for his leadership and for the many ways he has strengthened both CCA and CCCS.” 

Brownlee has led the college for more than five years, a period the college said included growth in enrollment, student completions, fundraising and workforce partnerships. Neither Brownlee nor the college announced his plans after December.

CCA recorded four consecutive years of record enrollment and four consecutive years of record completions during Brownlee’s tenure, college officials said.

The CCA Foundation also awarded more than $1.3 million in student scholarships in the past year.

The college completed its first capital project in more than 20 years and expanded bachelor’s degree pathways. It also opened the Centennial Campus and the Center for Applied Science and Technology, invested in Lowry Studios and Cinematic Arts, and expanded student support services.

CCA also grew its Corporate College, developing partnerships with organizations including Denver International Airport, Commerce City and Philip Morris International to connect education and training with regional workforce needs.

The college said Brownlee’s tenure also resulted in stronger partnerships in Aurora and the greater Denver metropolitan region and increased visibility for CCA.

“I see every challenge as an opportunity,” Brownlee told the Sentinel after his appointment as president. “The challenge is ensuring the Community College of Aurora is seen as a primary factor of empowerment economically within our community.”

Mostly clad in a bow tie and also wearing an infectious smile, Brownlee and his family have become a primary factor in just about every aspect of Aurora community life, especially educational life.

“I am passionate about student success and I am passionate about bow ties,” Brownlee said when he accepted the position five years ago.

His personal-public Facebook page is overflowing with almost daily excursions with his wife and children, on clean-up missions, hikes and a wide range of educational and community events.

His passion for education is what sold him to local officials searching for the next college leader.

“Serving as President of the Community College of Aurora has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life,” Brownlee said in a statement. “I am profoundly grateful for the trust placed in me to lead CCA, immensely proud of what our college community has accomplished together, and confident that CCA’s greatest contributions to Aurora, Colorado, and the students we serve are still ahead. I will carry tremendous gratitude for this institution, this System, and the people who make their missions possible.”

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