RCCD Celebrates Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac’s Legacy of Leadership and Student Success
10/16/2026
Riverside Community College District (RCCD) honored Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac, Ph.D., on Thursday, Oct. 15, during “An Evening of Legacy & Excellence,” a retirement celebration recognizing his decades of service to higher education and lasting contributions to students, colleges and communities throughout the Inland Empire.
Held at the Riverside Convention Center, the event brought together education leaders, colleagues, community partners and friends to recognize Isaac’s career in higher education. The evening also marked the establishment of the Wolde-Ab Isaac Endowed STEM Scholarship Fund, extending his commitment to educational opportunity to future generations of students.
The program featured remarks from RCCD Board of Trustees President Jose Alcala and other district leaders, along with tributes from California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian and U.S. Rep. Mark Takano. The Riverside City College Marching Tigers performed a processional; the Moreno Valley College Public Safety Honor Guard presented the colors, and the Norco College Choir performed the national anthem.
The Wolde-Ab Isaac Endowed STEM Scholarship Fund will support future RCCD students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Founding benefactors Marion and Mary Ashley and Iddo and Iveline Benzeevi each contributed $100,000 to establish the fund.
“You are so committed to lifting students out of poverty and providing access to affordable, quality education. Creating this new scholarship for STEM students is absolutely part of your legacy,” said Rhonda Taube, president of the Riverside Community College District Faculty Association.
Isaac joined RCCD in 2006 as dean of health sciences at Moreno Valley College. He later served as vice president of academic affairs at Moreno Valley College, president of Riverside City College beginning in 2015, and district chancellor beginning in 2018. He was the first Black chancellor in RCCD’s history.
Isaac earned his doctorate in medicinal chemistry from the University of Michigan as a Fulbright Scholar and previously served as president of the University of Asmara.
Throughout his tenure at RCCD, Isaac championed educational access, student equity and partnerships designed to expand opportunities for students. His leadership supported initiatives in student services, workforce development, university transfer, health care education and campus facilities.
Patricia Lock Dawson, mayor of Riverside, recognized his efforts to expand educational access, particularly for students from historically underserved communities.
“Your outreach and leadership have helped remove barriers to education for students, especially those from communities of color,” Lock Dawson said.
Across the district’s three colleges, initiatives advanced during Isaac’s tenure included expanded dual enrollment and middle college opportunities for high school students, workforce training through the Inland Empire Technical Trade Center, and partnerships that strengthened transfer pathways to four-year universities. RCCD also developed a joint student housing project with the University of California, Riverside, giving community college students the opportunity to live on a university campus alongside university students.
Isaac’s background in the sciences informed his work to strengthen health care education. Beginning as dean of health sciences at Moreno Valley College, he supported the development of programs to prepare students for health care careers. Later, as president of Riverside City College, he supported efforts to expand nursing education and clinical partnerships to help address regional health care workforce needs.
His tenure also included major investments in campus facilities and equipment through the district’s Measure CC bond program, supporting upgrades and new construction to meet the evolving needs of students and the region.
Jose Alcala, president of the RCCD Board of Trustees, reflected on the lasting reach of Isaac’s leadership.
“Your impact will continue to be felt for generations, through the lives you have touched and the opportunities you have helped create,” Alcala said.
Through the students he has served, the partnerships he helped build and the scholarship established in his honor, Isaac’s influence will continue across RCCD and the Inland Empire.
Stephen Ashby, president of CSEA Chapter 535, offered a tribute recognizing Isaac’s contributions to the district.
“Thank you for championing our mission and for leaving our district profoundly stronger than you found it,” Ashby said.
Through the students he has served, the partnerships he helped build, and the scholarship established in his honor, Isaac’s influence will continue across RCCD and the Inland Empire.
Watch the video tribute: Accolades: A Legacy of Excellence
Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications