Herkimer College Announces the Appointment of the College’s Fifth President

Herkimer County Community College announces Terri Grates Day, Ph.D. as the fifth president of Herkimer County Community College, upon recommendation of the Herkimer County Community College Board of Trustees. Dr. Grates Day will begin her tenure at a date to be determined.

A first-generation college graduate and Herkimer College alumna, Dr. Terri Grates Day returns to Herkimer from Volunteer State Community College, where she has served as Vice President for Academic Affairs since 2022. In this capacity, she provides leadership in the development of comprehensive and coordinated instructional programs across four campuses, promoting student retention and success. Dr. Grates Day has been responsible for the guidance, supervision, and support for six academic divisions, curriculum development, distance learning, instructional assessment, academic support, tutoring, dual enrollment and K-12 partnerships, course scheduling, library services, and Perkins grant initiatives.  

Prior to her role at Volunteer State Community College, Dr. Grates Day was the Vice Provost for Academic Administration at University of North Texas, Special Assistant to the President for Planning, Information Technology, and Institutional Effectiveness at Southern Utah University, and Executive Director of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness at Tarrant County College District. Additionally, she has experience within the SUNY System as an instructor and coordinator of student success at Jefferson Community College.

Dr. Grates Day holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Higher Education Administration from the University of Dayton, a Master of Arts in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland at College Park, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from SUNY's Institute of Technology (now SUNY Polytechnic Institute), and an associate degree in Social Sciences from Herkimer County Community College.

“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and with increasing levels of State investment, our community colleges are providing in-demand academic programs and robust supports to give New Yorkers everything they need to succeed in earning their higher education,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. “My congratulations to Herkimer County on today’s appointment.”

Herkimer College Board of Trustees Chairman Daniel Reardon said, “Dr. Terri Grates Day is a fantastic SUNY success story, and she is returning to her hometown to be named our college president. We have found someone with both a distinguished career and vast experience, along with a vested interest in our community's success. Herkimer County stands on the cusp of exciting economic development, and Dr. Grates Day will not only be a leader at the college, but also within our business community.”

Of her appointment, Dr. Grates Day said, “It is the honor of my life to return home and serve the college that first opened the doors of possibility for me. As a proud graduate of Herkimer College, I know the transformative impact this institution can have. Herkimer gave me the foundation to dream bigger and work harder, and now I have the unique privilege of serving the community that shaped who I am. Together with our outstanding faculty, staff, and community partners, I look forward to building on the college’s legacy while also preparing boldly for the future.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY's community colleges are engines of student success and upward mobility and play a vital role in our state's economic growth and workforce development. We are grateful to the search committee at Herkimer County Community College for bringing a strong candidate to move their campus forward at this exciting moment for New York's community colleges."