MCCC appoints two new deans
Appointments of Bretz, Oikelome were made at the conclusion of national searches, according to the college.
POTTSTOWN >> Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) has announced the appointment of two new deans.
James Bretz, Ph.D., has taken over the role of Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and Gloria Oikelome, Ed.D. has been named the new
Dean of Health Sciences. Both appointments were made at the conclusion of national searches, according to the college.
Bretz joined MCCC in 2009 as an instructor of Microbiology, and was promoted to assistant professor in 2013. He has served in the interim dean role since January 2017, taking on largescale projects such as the Science Center renovation and Math reform, according to a press release.
As dean, Bretz will continue to head the college’s STEM division, leading curriculum development, student success initiatives, faculty development and community partnerships. He earned a B.S. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Penn State University and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Maryland.
Oikelome comes to MCCC from Reading Area Community College where she served as associate dean of the STEM Division. She earned a B.S. degree in Biology from Bethel University and a M.S. degree in Cell & Molecular Biology/Science Education from Long Island University. She also earned a post-graduate certificate in Program & Institutional Assessment and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration, both from Immaculata University, according to the release.
Oikelome brings more than 15 years of higher education teaching experience to the Health Sciences Division, including online teaching in biology, microbiology, nutrition and biomedicine. She has a background in assessment, accreditation and evaluation, having served in academic leadership roles at institutions that include Lincoln University and the University of York (Hull York Medical School) in the United Kingdom.