MSC SE Finalists for President

Minnesota State College Southeast has named four finalists in the search for the next president.

The candidates are Joshua Gamer, Luca Lewis, Amy Maxeiner (pictured), and Lester Sandres Rápalo.

The candidates were recommended by a search advisory committee that was comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, and was chaired by Deidra Peaslee, president of Saint Paul College.

The candidates are scheduled to conduct campus visits next week.

The campus visits provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to meet each of the candidates and offer feedback.

Gamer currently serves as associate vice president of workforce partnerships and innovation at Western Technical College (Western) in Wisconsin, a role he has held since 2025.

Luca Lewis serves as interim president of Ventura College in California, a position he has held since September 2025.

Amy Maxeiner currently serves as the vice president of student success at Minnesota State College Southeast, a role she has held since 2024.

Lester Sandres Rápalo currently serves as ambassador and global advisor on sustainable education for the Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development (OPAD) a role he has held since 2024.  

Details of the candidates’ campus visits and the process for providing feedback are available at southeastmn.edu. 

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is expected to consider Chancellor Scott Olson’s recommendation at its March 18, 2026, meeting.

The anticipated start date of the new president is July 1, 2026.

Dr. Marsha Danielson, who has served as president of MSC Southeast since July 1, 2021, is retiring at the conclusion of her current contract on June 30, 2026.