Cynthia Anthony has been named president of Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Anthony has been serving as interim president at the college since September 2020.
Lawson State Community College enrolls nearly 3,400 students, according to the most recent data supplied by the U.S. Department of Education. Women make up 62 percent of the student body.
Dr. Anthony has 30 years of higher education experience. Prior to her appointment as interim president, Dr. Anthony was interim vice chancellor for student success for the Alabama Community College System. She is the former executive vice president and dean of students at Lawson State. Dr. Anthony has served as interim president at three other institutions in the Alabama Community College System: Drake State Community and Technical College, Shelton State Community College, and Enterprise State Community College.
“It is an honor to continue my service to the Birmingham and Bessemer communities in the role of President at Lawson State and I look forward to working alongside other community leaders to forge a better future for our region,” said Dr. Anthony. “I care deeply about the Lawson State community and I’m eager to continue our successful efforts to prepare students for their best possible future.”
Dr. Anthony earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Talladega College in Alabama. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed a doctorate in educational leadership through a joint program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama.