Christina Royal has been named interim president of Connecticut State Community College. With a dozen campuses throughout the state, the school is the largest community college in New England, enrolling a student body of nearly 35,000 students. About 60 percent of students attending Connecticut State Community College are women. Dr. Royal will serve as the college’s top executive through June 30, 2026.
From 2017 to 2023, Dr. Royal served as the fourth president of Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts, where she was the first woman, first multi-racial, and first queer leader in the institution’s history. There, she championed initiatives to break cycles of generational poverty, developed the college’s first strategic plan, oversaw the creation of a Life Sciences Center, and launched a childcare program to support student-parents.
During the 2024 to 2025 academic year, Dr. Royal was a president-in-residence at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Prior to her new appointment, she founded and served as president of Infinite Unlearning, LLC, an executive coaching and consultancy service.
“I am honored to join this talented community and am committed to collaborating with our campus presidents, external partners, and state, municipal, and community leaders to chart a path forward that is rooted in student success and equity,” said Dr. Royal. “The future is bright for CT State, and this is just the beginning.”
Dr. Royal received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and master’s degree in educational psychology from Marist University in New York. She holds a Ph.D. in education from Capella University.