After nearly two years of searching, the Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Erika Endrijonas as the next superintendent-president of Santa Barbara City College, the college announced on Monday.
“Dr. Endrijonas brings a strong commitment to the work we do for student access and success,” said Board President Jonathan Abboud. “She has demonstrated that she is equity- and antiracism-focused, transparent, and collaborative.”
Endrijonas was one of the three top finalists to come out of the college’s initial screening process, before the board decided to extend the search process and reopen applications in late March in order to do their “due diligence,” according to Abboud.
The selection process included a nationwide search, with finalists chosen by a 19-member screening committee consisting of credit and non-credit students, faculty, classified professionals, and administrators, as well as the SBCC Foundation, community members, and two members of the SBCC Board of Trustees.
Screening of candidates began in November 2022. Chosen finalists then participated in public forums and were interviewed by the Board of Trustees, as well as subject to extensive reference checks. Endrijonas will be the fifth person to fill the position since 2019.
The former Pasadena City College president is expected to officially begin in her new role on August 1, 2023, following contract negotiations. At that time, interim Superintendent-President Kindred Murillo will be able to re-enter retirement after serving in the position since August 2021.
Abboud said Endrijonas has a “wealth of experience” in community college leadership, including having served nine years as the Career and Technical Dean at SBCC.
“It has been my goal since I left SBCC to return,” said Endrijonas. “It is where I started my community college career. I am thrilled to render service in a place I love.”