Biosketch
Phil Sisson is the fifth president of Middlesex Community College in Lowell, Massachusetts. He has over 30 years of diverse college leadership experience in campus administration, strategic planning, academic and student affairs programming, fiscal management, resource development and business, community and K-16 partnerships — all with a clear and consistent focus on equity, access and student success.
Sisson developed a passion for teaching and serving adult learners, as well as for the unique mission of community colleges, at Bristol Community College, before accepting a leadership position at the Community College of Rhode Island, the largest community college in New England. Before arriving at Middlesex, Sisson returned to Massachusetts to serve as first dean, then vice president for academic & student affairs at Cape Cod Community College.
Sisson served as provost and vice president of academic & student affairs at Middlesex for 11 years. His focus on student pathways and outcomes, workforce development and growth, and inclusion and equity positioned Middlesex as the flagship community college in the state.
Throughout his career, Sisson has focused on creating diverse and inclusive communities where all students are able to learn, grow and succeed—including through strategic partnerships with UMass Lowell. Sisson has facilitated seamless pathways for MCC students to move on to UMass Lowell, enabling them to pursue advanced degrees and expand their academic horizons. The most recent partnership between the two institutions is the American Association of Community Colleges’ Equity Transfer Initiative, which aims to increase transfer rates for African American, Hispanic, adult and first-generation learners.