Increasing excitement about the abilities of community colleges to respond to student and community needs led Steve Brock to serve on MCC's Board of Governors. Additionally, "I thought I could bring twenty years of educational experience to the enterprise, something the board lacked, "Brock stated. As a former high school teacher, he had personally seen MCC as the best option for postsecondary success for many of his former students.

"I want to help make MCC the best community college in the country," Brock said.

In his current career as Chief Education Officer for Opportunity Education, Brock oversees curriculum, instruction, and assessment for poor students in Africa and Asia. In his previous positions, he has served as Chief Academic Officer/Founding Principal for the Jesuit Virtual Academy and as Supervisor of International Languages for the Omaha Public Schools. His education has taken him throughout the Midwest (A.B., summa cum laude, Saint Louis University; M.Ed., University of Minnesota; M.S., Creighton University; Ph.D., University of Nebraska).

Before his election to the MCC Board, Brock had been actively involved in his community though his work as a president of the South Omaha Neighborhood Association. In addition, he served as president of the Pastoral Parish Council at St. John's at Creighton University. In 1999, the Nebraska Foreign Language Association recognized him as its outstanding teacher. Brock has served as president of the Nebraska International Languages Association; president of the Nebraska-AATG that piloted German Week, which became the model for the nation; and chair of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

For his leadership in the community, he was recognized by the Omaha Jaycees as one of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans and in Who's Who in America.

To contact the board, call (402) 457-2257 or e-mail board@mccneb.edu