May 4, 2024

Ryan Crider, vice president of instruction and student services at Metropolitan Community College-Longview in Lee’s Summit, will become the campus’ president this August, pending Board of Trustees approval. He will succeed Kathrine Swanson, who is retiring from the College.

Crider, a Missouri native, joined MCC in 2018 as dean of instruction at Longview, later serving a one-year stint as interim vice president at MCC-Blue River and MCC-Business & Technology, then returning to Longview as vice president in 2022. “His ability to collaborate with faculty, students and staff, and connect with the Lee’s Summit community are undeniable,” MCC Chancellor Kimberly Beatty wrote in an announcement to employees.

The chancellor described Crider as having “a long academic history in diverse institutions.” He came to MCC from York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he served as English and Languages department chair since 2014. At York he supervised the college’s largest department and led faculty through a series of curricular redesigns as well as student support initiatives that improved student retention.

His previous positions include developmental studies coordinator at East Central College in Union, Missouri, and English instructor at South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, Louisiana.

As MCC-Longview vice president, Crider leads the campus’ strategic planning and supervises all aspects of instruction and student support. During his time at Longview, he has sought to encourage innovation in teaching and learning and to strengthen relationships with area school districts and external partners.

“MCC plays a transformative role within our region, and I am honored to have the opportunity to contribute to this mission as Longview campus president,” Crider says. “In the coming months and years, I look forward to engaging with our community stakeholders and working with my campus colleagues to ensure we are doing all we can to serve the needs of our students, while also responding to the needs of local business and industry partners.”

Crider is a member of the Truman Heartland Foundation’s Lee’s Summit/Lake Winnebago Advisory Board, a member of the Blue Springs Historic Preservation Commission and an executive committee member of the Lee’s Summit Workforce Alliance. He is a past board officer for the Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from Missouri State University, Springfield. Before focusing on community college teaching and leadership, Crider published both creative and critical work in a variety of journals.

Kathrine Swanson joined MCC in 2015 as vice chancellor for student success and engagement. She added the title of MCC-Longview president in August 2021, carrying out that dual role for two academic years.