CCPI-STEM Welcomes its Fourth Cohort of Fellows
The fellowship is one of several initiatives of the Community College Presidents’ Initiative in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (CCPI-STEM) Education that aim to strengthen community college faculty and administrators and nurture their leadership skills in order to grow and diversify the STEM technician workforce.
All the individuals in this third cohort of CCPI-STEM Fellows are pursuing graduate degrees and conducting research related to STEM education and workforce development at community colleges. The five (5) CCPI-Fellows of Cohort 4 in 2025 are:
Curtis Ivory, Kilgore College, Kilgore, TX
Curtis Ivory is an East Texas native with a Bachelors and master’s in biology with a medical science emphasis. I have been an Assistant Professor of Biology at Kilgore College for the past 4 years where I also serve as the advisor of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. I am currently enrolled at East Texas A&M University pursuing a Doctoral degree in higher education. My dissertation is focused on STEM persistence, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and academic performance centered around community college students.
Valorie Piper, Inland Empire APEX Accelerator, Riverside Community College District, Norco, CA
Valorie Piper serves as Director of the Inland Empire APEX Accelerator, where she advances STEM-driven economic development by connecting advanced technology firms to federal innovation and defense opportunities. Her work focuses on strengthening regional talent pipelines in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, defense innovation, and emerging technologies. Through strategic partnerships with industry, government, and community colleges, she helps align advanced technical education with workforce needs and critical technology sectors. Valorie is currently pursuing her Doctor of Business Administration at California Baptist University, where her research explores innovation strategy, digital equity, and ethical leadership in complex economic systems. As a CCPI-STEM Fellow, she is committed to expanding equitable access to STEM education, scaling industry-responsive programs, and preparing the next generation of technical leaders for the innovation economy.
Steven Stallis, St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, MO
Steven Stallis is a STEM faculty member at St. Louis Community College, where he teaches software development and workforce-aligned technical education courses. He is pursuing a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Computer Science Education, and his research explores institutional readiness and leadership in STEM expansion. Steven is passionate about advancing sustainable, industry-connected pathways that prepare diverse students for high-demand technology careers.
Andy Sokolich, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH
Andy Sokolich (he/him) is the Associate Dean of Mathematics at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. Andy is also a doctoral student in the Higher Education Administration PhD program at Kent State University. As a Cleveland native, Andy has worked almost exclusively in Ohio and at open-access institutions where he believes that every student deserves an opportunity to learn in a supportive environment. He has a range of research interests, including the lived experience of LGBTQ+ professionals in higher education, assessment and accreditation, and the development of effective pedagogy in mathematics classrooms. In addition to pursuing a PhD at Kent State University, he also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Kent State and a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. Andy and his partner, Andrew, live in Cleveland with their two cats.
Peter Dettmer, Blackhawk Technical College, Janesville, WI
Peter Dettmer serves as Dean of the Manufacturing, Apprenticeship, Transportation & Technology (MATT) Division at Blackhawk Technical College, where he works with faculty and industry partners to expand applied STEM education and workforce training. Previously, he served as faculty at Madison Area Technical College teaching industrial automation and robotics. Peter holds an M.S. in Adult Education from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville and a B.S. in Information Technology from Herzing University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration at Edgewood University with a concentration in Leadership Excellence and research focused on flexible education models and their impact on student success, and is committed to broadening his leadership and student success strategies through Achieving the Dream and similar national initiatives.