Drs. Byron and Kay McClenney Endowment
Drs. Byron and Kay McClenney are committed advocates for diversity and equity in higher education. Lifelong educators devoted to student success, they have worked to bring needed emphasis to issues of structural racism and disproportionate outcomes, institutional effectiveness, leadership, strategic planning, and organizational transformation. Both graduated with their doctorates from the University of Texas at Austin (UT).
Dr. Kay McClenney is an independent consultant and partner in MC2 Consultants. She serves as senior advisor to the president & CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges. She was founding director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement at UT and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges and the Executive Board of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges. She also served as a founding partner and senior consultant to work on the Achieving the Dream national initiative and continues to serve as a leadership coach for the organization.
Dr. Byron McClenney has committed 55 years as an educator, including almost 33 years as a community college CEO. He served for 10 years as director of student success initiatives at UT. He currently serves on the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education and the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative.
Both decorated educators, Drs. Bryon and Kay McClenney received the 2002 PBS O’Banion Prize. Dr. Kay McClenney also has been recognized with the 2009 Mildred Bulpitt Woman of the Year Award from the American Association of Women in
Community Colleges, the 2009 International Leadership Award from NISOD, and the 2011 National Leadership Award from the American Association of Community Colleges. In 2014, Phi Theta Kappa honored her with the Alliance for Educational Excellence Award. Dr. Byron McClenney received the 2011 AACC Leadership Award, the 2000 TIAA-CREF Hesburgh Award for the Community College of Denver, and the 1996 NISOD International Leadership Award among others.