New provost for NOVA’s Manassas campus

Roger A. Ramsammy has been named provost for NOVA’s Manassas Campus. He began his new position on Sept. 1. He was appointed by Northern Virginia Community College President Robert G. Templin Jr.

“Dr. Ramsammy brings extensive experience and innovative ideas. With his strong background, he will provide excellent service to the greater Manassas area,” Templin was quoted as saying in a news release.

As chief executive officer for the campus, the provost is responsible for all academic and student services, as well as campus management.

Before joining NOVA, Ramsammy was at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Fla., for nearly two decades. He moved through the ranks from tenured professor to department chair, associate division dean and eventually to dean of academic affairs. He was instrumental in designing classrooms and labs and supervised many buildings. He believes in improving student learning by challenging faculty to present new and dynamic techniques in the classroom, the release said.

Ramsammy is currently working with Carnegie Mellon University on the first open source electronic textbook in anatomy and physiology. He has also written several published textbooks and research papers.

He has a colorful background of using technology such as green screen and creating his own physiological and anatomical animations. He has also been associated with Max Planck Institutes and Scripps Institute in their research efforts.

This past spring, he participated in a crisis management program at Harvard University.  He is a graduate of the National Community College Hispanic Council Fellows Program and the National Council on Black American Affairs Leadership Program, and the recipient of numerous national and state awards.

Originally from Trinidad, Ramsammy visited the United States while playing sports and moved to Washington, D.C., shortly after to attend college. He earned a doctorate in molecular biology at Howard University and completed postdoctoral work at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Cancer Institute.

Ramsammy and his family recently moved to Manassas.

“I am looking forward to getting to know all the students, faculty and staff at the Manassas Campus,” Ramsammy was quoted as saying in the news release. “He also wants to get “involved with the community to learn how we can help our local businesses and organizations.”

The Manassas Campus serves more than 9,800 students in credit programs and nearly 2,000 students in noncredit programs annually. With a strong emphasis on technology, the campus has two academic divisions that offer transfer and occupational/technical programs, a comprehensive student development outreach program, and a vigorous workforce development office.  Approximately 80 full-time faculty and administrators, 210 adjunct faculty, and 60 staff members work at the campus.